ANGLO-FRISIAN LANGUAGES

The 'Anglo-Frisian languages' (sometimes 'Insular Germanic') are a group of Ingvaeonic West Germanic languages consisting of Old English, Old Frisian, and their descendants. The Anglo-Frisian family tree is:

★ Anglo-Frisian

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★ Anglic group (Insular Anglo-Frisian)

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★ English

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★ Scots

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★ Yola (extinct)

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★ Frisian group (Continental Anglo-Frisian)

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★ West Frisian

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★ Saterland Frisian (East Frisian)

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★ North Frisian
The Anglo-Frisian languages are distinguished from other West Germanic languages partially by the Ingvaeonic nasal spirant law, Anglo-Frisian brightening and by the palatalization of Proto-Germanic to a coronal affricate before front vowels: cf. English ''cheese'' and Frisian ''tsiis'' to Dutch ''kaas'' and German ''Käse'', or English ''church'' and Frisian ''tsjerke'' to Dutch ''kerk'' and German ''Kirche''. Early Anglo-Frisian formed a ''Sprachbund'' with Old Saxon, which is counted among the Low Saxon-Low Franconian languages.
The German linguist Friedrich Maurer rejected Anglo-Frisian as a historical subdivision of the Germanic languages. Instead, he proposed North Sea Germanic or Ingvaeonic, a common ancestor of Old Frisian, Old English and Old Saxon. This view has gained wide acceptance in historical linguistics.

Contents

Examples

Examples

Compare the words for the numbers one to ten in the Anglo-Frisian languages.

Language 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 English one two three four five six seven eight nine ten Scots ane ae twa three fower five sax sieven aicht nine ten Yola oane twye dhree vowér veeve zeese zebbem ayght neene dhen West Frisian ien twa trije fjouwer fiif seis sân acht njoggen tsien Saterland (Sealtersk) aan twäi twäin twoo träi fjauwer fieuw säks soogen oachte njugen tjoon North Frisian (Mooring) iinj ån tou tuu trii tra fjouer fiiw seeks soowen oocht nüügen tiin