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Contents
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-European_language
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indogermanische_Ursprache (th
is article has been marked as 'excellent')
Proto-Germanic:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Germanic_language
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urgermanische_Sprache
Schleicher's Fable[edit]
We can compare the grammar and vocabulary of German and
English to each other as well as to that reconstructed for Proto-
Germanic using Schleicher's fable (originally written in 1868). In
order to facilitate comprehension of the historic German version
and the Proto-Germanic version, modern English and German
translations have been placed at the top as an introduction.
Lastly, a schematic English word-by-word translation of the
modern German version is provided to demonstrate how the
ability to identify cognates by detecting regular
correspondences can help English speakers when learning
German. For example, in section 1.3.2.2 - German b ~ English
v you can see how German b corresponds to English v and
thus Silber corresponds to silver, and Grab to grave and so
forth.
English
The Sheep and the Horses
[On a hill,] a sheep that had no wool saw horses, one of them pulling a heavy wagon, one
carrying a big load, and one carrying a man quickly. The sheep said to the horses: "My
heart pains me, seeing a man driving horses." The horses said: "Listen, sheep, our hearts
pain us when we see this: a man, the master, makes the wool of the sheep into a warm
garment for himself. And the sheep has no wool." Having heard this, the sheep fled into
the plain.[1]
Proto-Germanic
Awiz ehwōz-uh
Awiz, sō wullǭ ne habdē, sahw ehwanz, ainanǭ kurjanǭ wagną teuhandų, ainanǭ-uh
mikilǭ kuriþǭ, ainanǭ-uh gumanų sneumundô berandų. Awiz nu ehwamaz sagdē: hertô
sairīþi mek, sehwandē ehwanz akandų gumanų. Ehwōz sagdēdun: gahauzī, awi! hertô
sairīþi uns sehwandumiz: gumô, fadiz, uz awīz wullō wurkīþi siz warmą wastijǭ. Awiz-uh
wullǭ ne habaiþi. Þat hauzidaz awiz akrą flauh.
Many more versions can be found at Wikipedia: Schleicher's fable
English translation
of the modern
Standard German
version using as
many recognizable
cognates as
possible, retaining
German sentence
structure
The following text is identical to the modern German version. Obvious cognates are
written in bold font. Non-obvious cognates and obvious cognates that differ in meaning in
this specific context are written in bold font and italics. In the second line, corresponding
English translations are given, retaining German sentence structure (word-for-word).
Starting at the third line, explanations are given for non-obvious cognates. Note that (both
generally speaking and in this particular text) not all cognates have Proto-Germanic roots;
most however have Proto-Indo-European roots, and some (such as "sheep"/"Schaf"
might e.g. have roots in West Germanic, but not trace back further to the earlier Proto-
Germanic, or Proto-Indo-European, which explains why the Proto-Germanic text starts
with "awiz" (whence "ewe", a female sheep)).
Notes:
1. In modern German, "Pferd" is usually used for "horse". The modern German cognate
to' "horse" is "Ross" (horse). "Ross" is essentially a synonym to "Pferd", though not
used as frequently (e.g. poetically or regionally), or in compositions such as modern
Standard German "Schlachtross" (warhorse).
2. In modern German, in the context of this story, "Last" is used for "weight, burden". The
modern German cognate to "weight" is "Gewicht", which also means "weight" and is
used in particular in the context measurement. "Load" is not a cognate to German "Last".
However, German "Last/lasten" ("weight"/"to weigh") is etymologically connected to the
German verb "laden, beladen" ("to load")[2], which is a cognate to English adjective
"laden" (German: "beladen" (participle)).
3. In modern German, in the context of this story, "Herr" is used for "master". The
German cognate to "master" is "Meister" ( "foreman"; "master" (1. crafts: professional
qualification: e.g. Elektriker-Meister; 2. to master s.th./to be a master of s.th.: etw.
meistern/ein Meister von etw. sein)). In academia, "Master of Science/Arts" has been
introduced to replace the German "Diplom" qualification, i.e. the anglicism "Master", not
"Meister" is used in an academic context.
Old English
Modern English
regions of Anglo
speakers of Old
Middle English w
both Old English
very similar, wo
cognates for the
better reflect thi
either the sourc
English and Old
Organization
In general, only
forms of other w
interest. Portion
out by parenthe
since the Proto-
These portions
"Schade(n)" me
since the Proto-
traf, getroffen".
always requires
Regular cog
We treat alterna
alternations betw
[1] The etymolo
Regular cog
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
German b ~ En
German word-in
always in cases
German b ~ En
In other cases, G
occurs between
silent e). English
developed from
German b ~ En
That the two ab
by words where
Proto-Germani
German dt, t, tt
Proto-Germani
German g ~ En
German g ~ En
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
The correspond
exhibit two kinds
while in English
German ch ~ E
German ch ~ E
German ck, k ~
Proto-Germani
German f, ff ~ E
German pf ~ En
Proto-Germani
German s, ss, ß
German tz, z ~
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
German f ~ Eng
Proto-Germani
The correspond
kinds of change
/f/. This yields tw
German ch ~ E
German ch ~ E
German ch ~ E
Proto-Germani
Both languages
German r ~ En
German s ~ En
German s ~ En
German s ~ En
Proto-Germani
German d ~ En
We treat alterna
German t ~ Eng
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
German l, ll ~ E
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germanic
some tendency
German ∅ ~ En
German r ~ En
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
German m, mm
German n ~ En
Proto-Germani
German ∅, n ~
Both languages
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
German Ø ~ En
Proto-Germani
Proto-Germani
German lg ~ En
Proto-Germanic
German lg ~ En
German rg ~ E
German rg ~ E
German rk ~ En
Proto-Germani
German gel ~ E
German gen ~
German ger ~ E
German ter, tte
German tr ~ En
Proto-Germani
German schm
German schn ~
Proto-Germani
German ck ~ E
Proto-Germani
German cht ~ E
Proto-Germani
German ∅ ~ En
German ch ~ E
German w /v/ ~
Proto-Germani
German lb ~ En
Proto-Germani
German mm ~
Proto-Germani
German nf ~ En
Proto-Germani
German rsch ~
Proto-Germani
German sch ~
Proto-Germani
German schl ~
Proto-Germani
German schw ~
Proto-Germani
German r ~ En
Proto-Germani
German d, t ~ E
Irregular and
Archaic, Dia
Cognates[ed
Cases where ei
are considered
Cases where th
the language ar
Borrowings
Greek Borrowi
Latin Borrowin
Borrowing
While there are
'pound'), this se
stage and up to
borrowings have
and largely appe
evolved to the c
Latin Borrow