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From: rte@elmo.lz.att.com (Ralph T. Edwards)
Subject: Re: English is a Germanic Language?
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Date: Mon, 25 Sep 1995 21:20:53 GMT
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In article <446iqb$ag5@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>, jtoddm25@ix.netcom.com (J.
Todd Masonis ) wrote:

>     I was just curious why English is considered a Germanic language? 
> Even if it is originally Germanic, aren't there far more words from
> Latin?  If so, why is it Germanic?
> 

Language is not just words (Short answer)

Long answer:

Because most of the grammar, phonology (sound system), and basic vocabulary
(simple verbs and nouns, prepositions, conjunctions, articles, pronouns,
numbers, family relationships, ...)
come from Anglo-Saxon and ultimately the reconstructed common Germanic
ancestor of German, Dutch, Engish, and the Scandinavian languages.  The
French and Latin words are generally for abstract or more obscure
meanings.  They are pasted into the basic underlying Germanic structure of
English.  This in the FAQ by the way, and any decent dictionary or text on
English explains it.  I think anyone who had studied another Germanic
language wouldn't ask this question.

Substitute 'wondering' for 'just curious,' 'thought to be' for 'is
considered', 'started off' for 'is originally' and we have eliminated
Romance words from
your sentence.  Try to eliminate Germanic words.  (Hint, it can't be done.)
(I don't count proper nouns, and anyway Germanic is originally Germanic,
it just passed through Romance.)

-- 
R.T.Edwards rte@elmo.att.com 908 576-3031
