English Cognates in Various Indo-European Languages By Don L. F. Nilsen

English Cognates in Various Indo-European Languages

• By Don L. F. Nilsen

• And Alleen Pace Nilsen

Why English Speakers Don’t Learn Other Languages

• The English Channel separates England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland from mainland Europe.

• The Atlantic Ocean separates the United States and Canada from Europe.

• The Pacific Ocean separates Australia and New Zealand from Europe.

English as a Global Language

• As a result, English speakers tend not to learn other languages, but…

• The English Language borrows extensively from other languages, and that’s why there are so many English cognates in the other Indo-European languages.

English’s Linguistic Relatives: A Study in Family Resemblance

• Old English is the “mother” of English.

• The Germanic languages are closely related—let’s say “cousins.”

• The Romance languages are less-closely related—let’s say “second cousins.”

• The Celtic languages are more distantly related—let’s say second cousins once removed.”

• The Indo-Iranian and Balto-Slavic languages are more distantly related—let’s say “third cousins.”

Languages in Contact: Borrowings and Migrations

• English has been influenced by French

• During the Middle Ages
• During the 100-year Norman Occupation
• From the Parisian French of “haut couture.”
• From the Canadian French of exploration.
• From New Orleans French

American English has been influenced by Mexican Spanish in the Southwest and by Puerto Rican, Canadian, and Caribbean Spanish in the Southeast.

• American English has been influenced by Mexican Spanish in the Southwest and by Puerto Rican, Canadian, and Caribbean Spanish in the Southeast.

• American English has been influenced by Dutch in Holland, Michigan and in New Amsterdam and Harlem, New York.

• American English has been influenced by German (Pennsylvania Dutch) in Pennsylvania.

English vs. Celtic Names

English vs. French Names

French Place Names in U.S.

English vs. German

English vs. German Names

English vs. German Verbs

English vs. Italian

English vs. Italian Names

English vs. Spanish & French

English vs. Spanish Names

Spanish Place Names in U.S.

English vs. German

Grimm’s Law: Romance /b/  Germanic /p/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /d/  Germanic /t/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /g/  Germanic /k/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /p/  Germanic /f/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /p/  Germanic /f/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /p/  Germanic /f/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /t/  Germanic /θ/

Grimm’s Law: Romance /k/  Germanic /x/ or /h/

Celtic Cardinal Numbers

Celtic Ordinal Numbers

Celtic Days of the Week

Celtic Months of the Year

Celtic Relatives

Celtic Subject Pronouns

Germanic Cardinal Numbers

Germanic Ordinal Numbers

Germanic Days of the Week

Germanic Months of the Year

Germanic Relatives

Germanic Signs of the Zodiac

Germanic Subject Pronouns

Germanic Object Pronouns

Indo-Iranian Cardinal Numbers

Indo-Iranian Ordinal Numbers

Indo-Iranian Days of the Week

Indo-Iranian Months of the Year

Indo-Iranian Relatives

Indo-Iranian Subject Pronouns

Romance Cardinal Numbers

Romance & Helenic Ordinal Numbers

Romance Days of the Week

Romance Months of the Year

Romance Relatives

Romance Signs of the Zodiac

Romance Subject Pronouns

Romance Object Pronouns

Slavic Cardinal Numbers

Slavic Ordinal Numbers

Slavic Days of the Week

Slavic Months of the Year

!Slavic Relatives

!!Slavic Subject Pronouns

!!!Slavic Object Pronouns

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