German and Its Closest Relatives: The 3 closest languages to German

by | May 4, 2023 | Blog

If your intrigue was piqued by our exploration of the German language in “The Book of Languages” series, you’re in for a treat as we shed some light on the ties that bind German to some of its linguistic cousins. If you haven’t yet read the article, seize the opportunity to enrich your knowledge about the German language from here: 

“The Book of Languages” Series – #1 German | MTS (mts-tech.com)

Dutch: The Close Neighbor

Dutch and German share a notable lexical resemblance, akin to the similarity between Spanish and Italian​1​. Most of the vocabulary between these languages overlaps, although pronunciation and syntax differences might pose a hurdle for mutual intelligibility​2​. Despite the shared vocabulary, the grammatical landscape of Dutch has evolved over time towards a simplified structure, notably lacking the case system present in German, which harbors four cases​1​​3​.

English: The Distant Kin

Stemming from the same Germanic roots, English and German share about 60% lexical similarity, encompassing a range of cognates—words that appear similar and share meanings​4​​5​.

The Latin-derived vocabulary is more abundant in English compared to German, marking one of the divergence points between these linguistic siblings​6​. The linguistic evolution over centuries has crafted distinct grammatical and syntactical frameworks, rendering them unique in their own right.

Afrikaans: The Unexpected Relative

Afrikaans, primarily a descendant of Dutch, harbors some German linguistic traces through its Dutch lineage​7​​8​. The evolution of Afrikaans in South Africa involved a melange of influences, including Dutch, German, and indigenous languages, crafting a unique linguistic identity​9​.

While some alphabet similarities exist, the straightforward grammatical structure of Afrikaans, lacking certain complexities present in German, along with its diverse vocabulary origins, renders it a distinctive member of the Germanic language family​10​.

 

In conclusion, while German is a unique language, there are a lot other languages that share its characteristics and features in the Germanic Languages family. Learning one of these languages may not only be easier but also a fun way to explore the rich world of linguistics. So, why not give it a try and see where it takes you?