Does spoken Frisian sound anything like spoken English? Do they sound similar?
Also, can somebody tell me where I can find some recordings of Frisian?
Also, can somebody tell me where I can find some recordings of Frisian?
Frisian
I watched a video where it showed that there are a few basic words in it sound just like English ones, but for the most part, it sounds very different.
Depends on the dialect of English. There are some UK dialects which sound similar, the more 'throaty' ones, if you know what I mean.
I don't think it sounds much like American English, but I can easily see a relation between Frisian and some British dialects--it sounds no more foreign to my ears than any of them do.
It really sounds a lot like recreations of Middle English, if you've ever had a chance to hear those, yet I know those are specualtive (no one actually recorded what ME really sounded like).
I can understand some short phrases pretty well. Others "sound" like English, but the translation indicates false cognates:
"en hy lei yn ’e kost by har âlden" sounds like
"and he lay in the coast by her olden" but it really means
"and he [was] boarded (i.e. "lay in cost", "was provided room and board") by her parents (elders, old ones)"
Here is a link to some Frisian examples (sample text also provided):
http://www.tiersma.com/FRISIAN/SOUNDS.HTM
IT begins with "THE PRONUNCIATION OF FRISIAN" section, so scroll further down for the examples.
http://www.tiersma.com/FRISIAN/FRISIAN.HTM
is the Home Page
It really sounds a lot like recreations of Middle English, if you've ever had a chance to hear those, yet I know those are specualtive (no one actually recorded what ME really sounded like).
I can understand some short phrases pretty well. Others "sound" like English, but the translation indicates false cognates:
"en hy lei yn ’e kost by har âlden" sounds like
"and he lay in the coast by her olden" but it really means
"and he [was] boarded (i.e. "lay in cost", "was provided room and board") by her parents (elders, old ones)"
Here is a link to some Frisian examples (sample text also provided):
http://www.tiersma.com/FRISIAN/SOUNDS.HTM
IT begins with "THE PRONUNCIATION OF FRISIAN" section, so scroll further down for the examples.
http://www.tiersma.com/FRISIAN/FRISIAN.HTM
is the Home Page
I picked up a Frisian hitchhiker once, who'd had car trouble, in the countryside between Leeuwarden and Groningen. I'm fluent in German and understand and can use some Dutch. I tried everything, but communication, other than sign language, totally failed. Of course, I realize that some of the Frisian dialects are not mutually intelligible...
Mate, it's not THAT rare to find someone who doesn't speak English, you know.... They are out there and a lot more than you'd expect.
It's not that usual in the Netherlands. Everyone can speak English there.
<<Mate, it's not THAT rare to find someone who doesn't speak English, you know.... >>
English, yes, but I said Dutch. I find it hard to believe that a Frisian speaker could not communicate in Dutch.
English, yes, but I said Dutch. I find it hard to believe that a Frisian speaker could not communicate in Dutch.