Germanic languages furthest away from each other?

**Dombra** · 03-03-2013, 08:22 PM

Which Germanic languages are the furthest away from each other?

**Dombra** · 03-03-2013, 08:27 PM

Dont ignore this thread :<

**~~Styggnacke~~** · 03-03-2013, 08:30 PM

I'd say Icelandic and English.

**Comte Arnau** · 03-06-2013, 12:06 AM

Crimean Gothic and Caribbean English.

**~~Dacul~~** · 03-06-2013, 12:16 AM

Crimean gothic is not spoken anymore.
I think that german language and icelandic.

**Comte Arnau** · 03-06-2013, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by Dacul

Crimean gothic is not spoken anymore.
I think that german language and icelandic.

The OP didn't specify if he was only asking for the living ones.

Anyway, if so, both German and Icelandic share an important basic Germanic core in their lexicons and a conservative grammar (in comparison to the other). English should obviously be one of the two languages chosen, because it has clearly changed more than any other. Considering that German is also West Germanic and that Scandinavian has had a strong influence in English, I'd rather agree with Stygg and say Icelandic and modern English too.

**Jackson** · 03-06-2013, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Count Arnau

The OP didn't specify if he was only asking for the living ones.

Anyway, if so, both German and Icelandic share an important basic Germanic core in their lexicons and a conservative grammar (in comparison to the other). English should obviously be one of the two languages chosen, because it has clearly changed more than any other. Considering that German is also West Germanic and that Scandinavian has had a strong influence in English, I'd rather agree with Stygg and say Icelandic and modern English too.

I'd agree with this. Although some of the structures in English are more north Germanic than west Germanic, though. In terms of the base structure (and not words) i'd say English and German are probably pretty equal in distance from Icelandic.