Define Germanic

[Frederick]

So then explain Teuton. Does also Danish mean the same? Dansk tongue was the speech of all Northmen at one time, although it is now more commonly referred to as Old Norse. Isn't Danish restricted? If so, then why was it universally applied? How about the term Northmen? Aren't they really just Teutons then, or Germans? I think it is confusing for Germany, with an umbrella term, but distinct tribes composing their own states, kind of like Russian ethnic republics inside the Russian Federation.

I dont even believe the Teutons beeing a Germanic tribe.
As far as I know, did the Romans by first contact believe them to be a Celtic tribe. Plus, their chieftain had a Celtic name.

Similiar can be said about the "Germanii" tribe.
The Germanii had been a tribe, once living on the Eastern shore of the Rhine.
then crossing it and settling down in what is now Belgium.

Tacitus claims, the "Germanii" had been the first tribe that crossed the Rhine and since then, the Gauls call everyone who lives on the East side of the Rhine a "German".

The latest idea about the Germanii tribe is, that it was a Celtic tribe and not a "germanic" one.

So, both Umbrellaterms "Teutonic" aswell as "Germanic" are wrong, because possibly both tribes hadn been Germanic in the first place.

Then again, linguists claim that "Deutsch" doesnt originate in "Teuton" but in the Germanic word "Thiot" or "thioda" = folk. Some say "our folk". or "People like us"

Its because the old german version of "Deutsch" is "Thiutsch".
The even older "Frankish" version of it is "Thiudisk"

"...isk" ending from Franlish and "isch" ending in german both mean "alike" or "from".

now the question is what "Thiu" means.
"Thiut alike" or "from Thiut"

It sounds nothing close to "Teuton". (ok in english pronounce it does LOL thiuton haha)

But it DOES sound close to "Thiot" = folk. Just that there is an "u" instead of an "o".

So it could translate into "Folk alike" or "From folk".

before the 10th century, the word NEVER apears without the addition "Language".

It apears usualy if the king demands a text in 2 languages. for example in Linguista romanica (Latin) and linguista thiudiska (Frankish).

it does NOT mean Teuton. Its a common mistake.

Aren't they really just Teutons then, or Germans? I think it is confusing for Germany, with an umbrella term, but distinct tribes composing their own states

I say, "Germans" is an umbrella term used by Celts and finaly by Romans.
And the Romans dont use it on Germans only.

They call the Dutch Germans, they call the Easterngermanic tribes of Poland, Czechia and Slovakia Germans. They call the Danes Germans and they call the Swedes Germans.
They DONT mention the Norwegians however.

So, "Germany" has no right on the term "Germany" at all. Its just a fraktion of what the Romans called like this.

Its the fault of the English to name us "Germany". Not our fault.

We call us "the folk", not Teutons and not Germans.

I dont know what "Danish" means through. And I dont care for Danes anyways. I am Deutsch a nd who fights me, is not my thiot.

[Östsvensk]

I think Wikipedia puts it quite well:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peoples

The Germanic peoples (also called Teutonic in older literature) are a historical ethno-linguistic group, originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages, which diversified out of Common Germanic in the course of the Pre-Roman Iron Age. The descendants of these peoples became, and in many areas contributed to, ethnic groups in North Western Europe: Scandinavians (Danes, Swedes, Norwegians, Icelanders, and Faroe Islanders, but not Finns and Sami), Germans (including Austrians, German-speaking Swiss, and other ethnic Germans), Dutch, Flemish, and English, among others.

[Osweo]

I dont even believe the Teutons beeing a Germanic tribe.
As far as I know, did the Romans by first contact believe them to be a Celtic tribe. Plus, their chieftain had a Celtic name.

There are obscurities about the Cimbri and Teutones, yes. However, the Cimbric Peninsula (Jutland) was accepted as the homeland of at least the chief part of that migration, so we can at least assume some Germanic aspect to it.

As for Celtic onomastica, well, there's any number of ways to explain that. Celts were still the big prestige culture at the time, prior to their defeat and demotion by Rome. Celtic names and habits may have spread a little further than actual Celtic rule. Probably best to look on the whole aborted enterprise as a joint undertaking, or one of a group with a complex multi-origin identity.

Similiar can be said about the "Germanii" tribe.
The Germanii had been a tribe, once living on the Eastern shore of the Rhine.
then crossing it and settling down in what is now Belgium.

Tacitus claims, the "Germanii" had been the first tribe that crossed the Rhine and since then, the Gauls call everyone who lives on the East side of the Rhine a "German".

The latest idea about the Germanii tribe is, that it was a Celtic tribe and not a "germanic" one.

The right bank was in a complex process of deCelticisation and Germanification. Seems to me there will have been several groups in a transitionary state. Things were not black and white, likely.

So, both Umbrellaterms "Teutonic" aswell as "Germanic" are wrong, because possibly both tribes hadn been Germanic in the first place.

A debatable matter. Doesn't matter much to linguistics and cultural studies though. It's just an accepted term now. If we had a better one, there would still be stupid people to misapply it anyway.

'Germanic' is most pertinently used of the late Roman period. By that time, there was an appreciable Germanic culture.

Then again, linguists claim that "Deutsch" doesnt originate in "Teuton" but in the Germanic word "Thiot" or "thioda" = folk. Some say "our folk". or "People like us"
Its because the old german version of "Deutsch" is "Thiutsch".
The even older "Frankish" version of it is "Thiudisk"
"...isk" ending from Franlish and "isch" ending in german both mean "alike" or "from".
now the question is what "Thiu" means.
"Thiut alike" or "from Thiut"
It sounds nothing close to "Teuton". (ok in english pronounce it does LOL thiuton haha)
But it DOES sound close to "Thiot" = folk. Just that there is an "u" instead of an "o".
So it could translate into "Folk alike" or "From folk".

Theod is our derivative, and Teuta- is the Celtic cousin of the same word. I suspect in many cases that the ancestor of Thiud and Theod was transcribed as the more familiar Celtic variant by literate Classical writers. Gauls and Germanics would have been very aware that these were sister terms, and Gaulish interpreters (or Gallophone Germans) were probably involved in any communications with Romans.

Compare also when somebody is living in a foreign country - sometimes they adopt a local form of their own name, to make things easier for those they talk to. I recall a Kazakh called Nigmet whose daughter called herself 'Nikolaevna' instead of 'Nigmetovna'. Or simply 'Johns' that call themselves Johannes or Jean or Juan when working abroad.

before the 10th century, the word NEVER apears without the addition "Language".

It apears usualy if the king demands a text in 2 languages. for example in Linguista romanica (Latin) and linguista thiudiska (Frankish).

it does NOT mean Teuton. Its a common mistake.

In English it appears earlier and in many different instances without 'language' mentioned or inferred. We had compound nouns from it like þēodþrēa (a national misfortune/disaster), þēodġestrēon (national treasure) etc., all of which refer to the nation or theod.

"Danish"

Probably a word relating to our 'thane' < 'thegna'.

[Ibericus]

Are Jamaicans germanic ? Well, at least Dominicans are considered Hispanic...

[Östsvensk]

Are Jamaicans germanic ? Well, at least Dominicans are considered Hispanic...

No, Jamaicans are not Germanic. Even if you would want to compare the case of Germanic-speaking Jamaicans with Latin Americans, Latin Americans have a significant amount of Latin ancestry. Most Jamaicans have no Germanic ancestry at all, as far as I know.

[Damião de Góis]

[Falkata]

No, Jamaicans are not Germanic. Even if you would want to compare the case of Germanic-speaking Jamaicans with Latin Americans, Latin Americans have a significant amount of Latin ancestry. Most Jamaicans have no Germanic ancestry at all, as far as I know.

Black americans have as much germanic ancestry as many latin americans have "latin" one ( i suppose you mean "iberian" when you say "latin")
Are afroamericans germanic?

[Trog]

Germanic = Dutch, Germans, Austrians, Scandinavians, Icelanders, Faroese, Scots, English, and their descendants around the world (such as Aussies and Anglo-Americans).

It's a cultural group, although race is a factor as well. 50 Cent is not exactly "Germanic" only because his first language is English.

I don't belong in a cultural group that includes Scandinavians and their ilk. 50 Cent, however, might well have Celtic ancestry.

[Comte Arnau]

Nordics + Teutons or Continentals (incl. Dutch diaspora) + Britons or Islanders (incl. Anglo diaspora).

[Osweo]

I don't belong in a cultural group that includes Scandinavians and their ilk.

You being fluent in Gaelic and all that...