Writing Some of the older Germanic languages used a runic alphabet suited to their needs. The use of runes, however, remained fairly limited. East Germanic languages were, in turn, served the Gothic alphabet of Wulfila , mainly translations of the Bible into Gothic .
It was later that the Christian priests and monks of Germanic origin, who used Latin in addition to their mother tongue , began using the Latin alphabet to write their own language.
It had to do this, expand capacity, after all reduced to the Latin alphabet, by developing the use of diacritics (the umlaut in German : , , , the round head in Swedish , Danish and Norwegian : , etc..) of ligatures ( in Old English , in Icelandic , Danish and Norwegian eszett in German, etc..) of digraphs (ch in English, Dutch, German, etc.., sh in English, sch in German, Dutch, etc..) and additional letters (thorn edh and in Old English and Icelandic, yogh and wynn Old English, etc.)..
See also Transcript of Germanic languages.
Vocabulary
Examples of words like in English , Old English , Dutch , German , Low German , West Frisian , Swedish , Danish , Norwegian , Icelandic , Old Norse and Scots.
| French | English | Old English | Dutch | German | Low German | Frisian | Swedish | Danish | Norwegian | Icelandic | Old Norse | Faroese | Scots |
|---|
| be (verb) | To Be | wesan / beon | zijn | within | ween | syn / wze | vara t | at vre | vre | ad vera | ad vera | Has vera | To Be |
| I | I am | I eom / beo | ik ben | ich bin | ik bun | ik bin | jag r | jeg er | jeg er | Eg er | k st | eg eri | Ic am / A'm |
| you're | you are | Thu eart / bist | I / u bent | du bist | Bust | bist dou | the AR | the st | the st | Thu ert | Thu ERTT | t ert | thoo art |
| it is | He Is | He Is / bid | hij IS | er ist | He Is | HY IS | han r | Han er | Han er | Hann er | Hann er | Hann er | He Is |
| we | we are | weekends sind (on) / bo | weekends zijn | wir sind | wi sund | wy Binne | vi r | vi er | vi er | vid serum | vid erm | saw eru | we are |
| you | you are | GE sind (on) / bo | u / I bent | ihr seid | ji sund | Jimme / jo Binne | nor r | I. | dere er | Thida Erud | Thida erd | tit eru | ye are |
| they are | They Are | hie sind (on) / bo | zij zijn | sie sind | sund is | HJA / sy Binne | Ar | ER | ER | Their eru | Their eru | Teir eru | thay are |
| I | I | I | me / mij | mich / mir | mi | my | mig | mig | meg | mig | mig | mig | I |
| you | you | Thu | jou / I | dich / dir | di | dy | dig | dig | deg | thig | thig | teg | thee |
| him | HIM | ahem | ahem | ihr / ihm | ehr | HIM | honom | ham | ham | honom | hannom | Hann | him / im |
| it | Her | Her | haar | ihre | ehr | Hjar | henne | Hende | henne (s) | neigh | neigh | Hon | Her |
| we | us | uss | ons | each | each | Us | oss | bone | oss | okkr | OSSR | okkum | us / hus |
| you | you | ye | I / u | sie | ji | Jimme / jo | or | jer | of | thig | thig | tykkum | ye |
| them | em | Them | ze / zij | sie | is | Hjar / yen | dem | dem | dem | a | Thm | teimum | Thaima |
| my | my | mine | mijn | mein | mine | Minen | min | min | min | mn | minn | mn | my |
| tone | your | Thine | Jouw | dein | dien | DINEN | din (e) / DITT | din (e) / words | din (e) / DITT | Thinn | Thinn | tin | tha |
| its | history | history | zijn | seine | his | sinen | hans / sin | hans / sin | hans | Hanns | hans | Hansar | history |
| its | Her | Her | haar | ihre | ehr | hjarres | henne | Hende | henne (s) | neigh | neigh | hennara | Her |
| our | o | Ure | ons | unser | each | Uzes | vr | vort, vor | vr | okkr | OSSR | okkar | oor |
| your | your | ower | Jouw / uw | euer | juun | jimmies / Jouw | eder | Jerez | deres | Thin | Geirr | tykkara | yer |
| their | Their | thermal | Hun | seine | jmmehr | hjarres / sinen | deres | deres | deres | eirr | eirr | teirra | Thair |
| go | to go | gn | gaan | gehen | HLTF | Gean | g t | at g | g | ad ganga | ad ganga | Has ganga | to gae / gang |
| come | to come | cuman | komen | kommen | kamen | komme | komma t | at komme | kome | ad koma | ad koma | Has koma | to cam |
| have | To Have | habban | hebben | haben | hebben | hawwie | t ha | Have any | ha | Hafa ad | Hafa ad | Has hava | to hae |
| do (make) | To Do | gift | doen | tun | doon | dwaen | gra t | Has Gore | gjre | ad gera | ad gjra | Has gera | to dae |
| do (make) | to make | Macian | maken | machen | maken | meitsje | gra t | Has Gore | gjre | ad gera | ad gjra | Has gera | to mak |
| take | to hold | healdan | houden | halten | Hollen | dump | t hall | Has holde | holde | Ad Halda | Holda ad | Has Hodd | to haud |
| love | love | lufu | lief (de) | Liebe | Leevde | leafde | lska / Krlek | Elske / krlig | Elske / kjrlig | elska | elska | elska / krleiki | love |
| apple | Apple | ppel | call | Apfel | Call | apel | pple | Aebli | eple | unfolded | unfolded | unfolded | AIPLA |
| fish | fish | taxman | screw / plug (e) | Fisch | Fisch | fisk | fisk | fisk | fisk | fiskur | fiskr | fiskur | fish |
| wolf | wolf | wulf | wolf | Wolf | Wulf | wolf | ulv | ulv | ulv | lfur | lfr | lvur | wulf |
| fox | fox | fox | your | Fuchs | Voss | Foks | rav | Raev | rev | refur | refr | revur | fox |
| horse | Horse / pard | Off | paard | Pferd | Peerd | snaps / paerd | Polearms | hest | hest | Hestur | Hestra | Hestur | pard |
| cat | cat | catt (e) | kat | Katze | katt | kat | Katt | kat | katt | kttur | kattr | kattur | cat |
| Bear | bear | bera | beer | Br | Baar, Boor | bear | bjrn | bjrn | bjrn | bjrn | bjrn | bjrn | bear |
| dog | dog / hound | hund | hond | Hund | Hund | Dogge / HUN | hund | hund | hund | hundur | hunnr | hundur | hound |
| boy | boy | cnaf | Jongen, Knaap | Knabe, Junge | joong | BOAI jonge | pojke | Drenge / knaegt | Gutt | drengur | drengr | drongur | boy |
| girl | girl | Maegd | meisje | Mdchen | Deern | Famke | Flicka | Freelance / jenta | pike | stelpa | stjlpa | genta | girl |
| virgin | but | mth | Maagd | Mdchen | magd | Maegd / Faam | piga | stuepige | stuepike | pika | piga | kona | maid |
| book | book | boc | boek | Buch | Book | boek | bok | bog | bok | bok | bok | bok | Beuk |
| father | father | Faed | vader | Vater | Vadder | heite | fader / far | fader | fader / far | fair | Fadri | FADJI | FITH |
| mother | mother | Commodore | moeder | Mutter | Modder Mudder | Member | moder / mor | moder | moder / mor | modir | modir | Modji | mother |
| son | its | sunu | zoon | Sohn | Shn | soan | its | sn | Tone | sonur | sonr | sonur | his / sen |
| daughter (descending) | daughter | dohtor | dochter | Tochter | Dochter | dochter | dotter | date | date | dottie | dttri | dottie | dochter |
| brother | Brother | bror | Broeder | Bruder | Embroider | Broer | Embroidery / Bror | Embroidery / Bror | Embroidery / Bror | embroider | Brodr | brir | Brother |
| sister | sister | sweostor | Zuster | Schwester | Swest, Suster | Suster | Syster | Soster | Soster | system | Systra | system | sister |
| zero (0) | zero / naught | naht | null | null | null | null | noll | null | null | null | null | null | Zero |
| one (1) | one | n | n | eins | een | ien | in | in | in | einn | einn | EITT | one / one |
| two (2) | Two | Twa | twee | zwei | twee | Twa | Tv | to | to | tveir | tveir | tvey | Twa |
| three (3) | Three | threo | drie | drei | dree | TRij | be | be | be | rr | rr | try | Thrie / thre |
| four (4) | oven | fower | January | January | veer | fjouwer | fyra | fire | fire | fjrir | fjrir | fyra | oven fowr |
| five (5) | five | fif | Vijf | fnf | FIEV | Fife | emf | emf | emf | FIMM | FIMM | FIMM | FIF / FYVE |
| six (6) | six | SIEX | zes | sechs | sos | seis | sex | seks | seks | sex | seks | seks | Sex / sax |
| seven (7) | seven | seofon | zeven | sieben | sben | Sn | SJU | syv | SJU | Sj | Sj | sjey | Sevin |
| eight (8) | eight | eahta | acht | acht | acht | acht | tta | eet | Atte | Atta | Atta | Atta | EGHT / eicht |
| nine (9) | nine | Nigon | negen | neun | negen | njoggen | nio | or | or | niu | niu | nggju | nyn / Neyn |
| ten (10) | ten | yours | yours | zehn | tein | chien | tio | ti | ti | tiu | tiu | tggju | ten |
| King | king | cyning | koning | Knig | Knig | Kening | kung | Konge | Konge | knungur | knungr | Kongur | king |
| Queen | queen | cwn | Koningin | Knigin | Knigin | keningin | Drottning | Dronning | Dronning | Drottning | drotning | Drottning | CWAN |
| who? | who? | hwa? | wie? | wer? | wer? | wa't? | vem? | HVEM? | HVEM? | hver? | hverr? | hver? | wha? |
| what? | what? | hwt? | wat? | was? | was? | wat? | vad? | hvad? | hva? | hva? | hvat? | hvat? | what? |
| where? | where? | hwr? | Waar? | wo? | wo? | wer? | var? | hvor? | hvor? | hvar? | hvaan? | hvar? | whaur? |
| when? | when? | Hwon? | Wannee? | wann? | wann? | wannear't? | nar? | hvornr? | nr? | hvenr? | hvanr? | nr? | whan? |
| how? | how? | hu? | hoe? | wie? | wie? | hoe't? | hur? | hvordan? | hvordan? | hversu? | hverrso? | hvussu? | hou / how? |
| Why? | Why? | hw ? | waarom? | warum? | warum, wieso? | wrom | varfr? | hvorfor? | hvorfor? | hver vegna? | HVI? | HVI? | whey / why? |
| blood | blood | blod | bloed | Blut | Bloot | bloed | blod | blod | blod | blod | blod | bl | blood |
| bread | bread | bread | brood | Brot | Broota | brea | brod | Brd | Brd | Braud | Braud | brey | Breid |
| Gold (metal) | gold | Guld | goud | Gold | Gold | goud | Guld | gold | gull | gull | gull | gylt | gold |
| winter | winter | winter | winter | Winter | Winter | winter | vinter | vinter | vinter | Vetura | Vettre | Vetura | wynter |
| water | water | wter | water | Wasser | Water | wetter | vatten | vand | vann | Vatn | Vatn | Vatn | watter |
| talk | to speak | sprcan | spreken | sprechen | sprekke | snacken | t snack | Has Snagga | snakke | ad spjalla | ad spjlla | Has spjalla | to speik |
| oneself | Self | Self | zelf | Selbst | slve | salts | sjlv | selv | selv | sjlf | sjlf | sjlvur | salt |
| mean | to mean | andgitan | menen | meinen | Meenen | miene | t led | any leads | led | ad Meina | ad Meina | Has Meina | to Meain |
| half | half | halve | half | halb | halve, half | heal | halvah | halvah | halvah | halvah | halvt | hlvt | half |
| live | to live | libban | leven | leben | leven | libjs | t up | Has leve | leve | ad lifa | ad lifa | Has Liva | to LYVE |
| glass | glass | Glaeser | knell | Knell | Knell | Rules | knell | knell | glass | settle | knell | knell | glass |
| injury | wound | wundian / sar | wond | Wunder | Wunna / Smarr | wa | sar | sar | sar | Sr | sarr | Saera | wound |
| duty (verb) | must to | Mustan | moeten | mssen | mten | Moatti | t master | Has matte | my | ad m | ad masta | Has masta | to MOST |
| need | Need | urf | nood | (Be) darf / Notigi | Berief | Noad | nod | nod | nod | Neyde / rf | neggja / urf | noyast | neid |
| duty | to "shall" | skullan | zullen | sollen | sullen | sille | t skull | Has skulle | skulle | ad skull | ad skull | at skul | to sall |
| weapon | weapon | Wapan | Wapen | Waffe | Wapen | wapp | vapen | Vabene | vapen | Vopni | vapn | vapn | wapyn |
| good | good | god | goed | gut | goot | goed | god | god | god | gur | Godri | gur | guid |
| Tomorrow | Tomorrow | aetmorgon | morgen | Morgen | Morgen | oaremoarn | i morgon | i morgen | i morgen | i Morgun | i Morgner | Morgin | i morn |
| morning | Morning | Morning | morgen | Morgen | Morgen | moarn | morgon | morgen | morgen | Morgun | Morgner | Morgin | morn |
| young | young | Geong | jong | jung | jung | jong | unga | unge | ung | ung | ungr | ungur | yong |
| old | old | eald | oud | alt | oolt | Ald | gammal (Aldrees) | gamle (ldre) | gammel (eldre) | gamall (ELDR) | gamall (ellri) | Gamal (Eldir) | ould |
| boat | ship | skip | schip | Schiffe | Schipp | skip | SKEPP | skip | skip | skip | skip | skip | schip |
| break | break | brcan | brechen | breken | breken | Brekke | Bryte / Brcke | bryde | Bryte | ad brjta | ad brjta | Has brot | to Brek |
| learn | learn | lernan | leren | lernen | Lehren | lear | lara | Has Laere | Laere | ad Laera | ad Laera | Has Laera | to learn |
| see | see | scean | zien | s (i) ehen | sehen | sjen | t is | Has to | | ad sja | ad sja | Has sggja | sie / see |
| give | GIVE | giefan | geven | geben | geven | jaan | Giva t / ge | Has GIVE | gi | ad gefa | ad gefa | Has Giva | ogy to |
| ice | ice | IS | ijs | Eis | Ies | iis | IS | IS | IS | s | s | s | ise |
| Dining | to eat | sealing | eten | essen | eeten | ite | t Ata | Has Chanter | was | ad estab | ad estab | Has eta | to summer / eit |
| drink | to drink | drinkan | drinken | trinken | drinken | drink | t Drick | Has Drikker | Drikker | ad drekka | ad drekka | Has drekka | to drynk |
References
- Ludwig Erich Schmitt (Hrsg.): Germanischer Dialektologie. Franz Steiner, Wiesbaden 1968, p. 143
- Fausto Cercignani , The Development Of The Gothic Alphabet and Orthography, in "Indogermanische Forschungen", 93, 1988, pp. 168-185.
- Georges Kersaudy Languages without borders. Discovering the languages of Europe 118-119 ps
See also
External Links