Germanic parent language

Early stage of the Germanic languages

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The Germanic parent language (GPL), also known as Pre-Germanic Indo-European (PreGmc) or Pre-Proto-Germanic (PPG), is the stage of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family that was spoken c. 2500 BC – c. 500 BC, after the branch had diverged from Proto-Indo-European but before it evolved into Proto-Germanic during the First Germanic Sound Shift.

The less precise term Germanic, which appears in etymologies, dictionaries, etc., loosely refers to a language spoken in the 1st millennium AD, proposedly at that time developing into the group of Germanic languages—a stricter term for that same proposition, but with an alternative chronography, is Proto-Germanic language.[1]

As an identifiable neologism, Germanic parent language appears to have been first used by Frans Van Coetsem in 1994. It also makes appearances in the works of Elżbieta Adamczyk, Jonathan Slocum, and Winfred P. Lehmann.[2][3][4]

## Absolute chronology

[edit]

Several historical linguists have pointed towards the apparent material and social continuity connecting the cultures of the Nordic Bronze Age (1800 – 500 BC) and the pre-Roman Iron Age in Northern Europe (500 BC – 1 AD) as having implications in regard to the stability and later development of the Germanic language group.[a] The emerging consensus among scholars is that the First Germanic Sound Shift, long considered to be the defining mark in the development of Proto-Germanic, happened as late as 500 BC.[7][8][9]

Research conducted over the past few decades displays a notable interest in exploring the linguistic and sociohistorical conditions under which this sound shift occurred, and often formulates theories and makes reconstructive efforts regarding the periods immediately preceding Proto-Germanic as traditionally characterised.[b] The notion of the Germanic parent language is thus used to encompass both the Pre-Proto-Germanic stage of development preceding the First Germanic Sound Shift (assumed to be contemporary with the Nordic Bronze Age) and that stage traditionally identified as Proto-Germanic up to the beginning of the Common Era.[c]

## Theoretical boundaries

[edit]

The upper boundary (earliest date) assigned to the Germanic parent language is described as "dialectal Indo-European".[11] In the works of both Van Coetsem and Voyles, attempts are made to reconstruct aspects of this stage of the language using a process the former refers to as inverted reconstruction; i.e. one using the data made available through the attested daughter languages in light of and at times in preference to the results of the comparative reconstruction undertaken to arrive at Proto-Indo-European.[12][13] The results are not strictly standard in terms of traditional Proto-Indo-European reconstruction, but they are instead presented as characteristic of the incipient predecessor to Early Proto-Germanic, hence the terms Pre-Germanic Indo-European (Voyles) or Pre-Proto-Germanic (Van Coetsem) for this stage.[d]

The lower boundary (latest date) of the Germanic parent language has been tentatively identified as that point in the development of the language which preceded permanent fragmentation and which produced the Germanic daughter languages.[12]

## Phonological boundaries

[edit]

In his work entitled The Vocalism of the Germanic Parent Language, Frans Van Coetsem lays out a broad set of phonological characteristics which he considers to be representative of the various stages encompassed by the Germanic parent language:

* Pre-Proto-Germanic: mora reduction;
* Early Proto-Germanic: (1) ā/ă, ō/ŏ mergers; (2) dissolution of the syllabic liquids and nasals; (3) the initiation of fricativization or the First Consonant Shift (Erste Lautverschiebung, also known as Grimm's Law);
* Late Proto-Germanic: (1) accent modification in two stages: (a) intensification in dominance followed by Verner's law; (b) fixation on the first syllable: umlaut- and accent-conditioned raising and lowering changes; reduction in non-accented position; (3) /s/ → /z/.[15][e]

Koivulehto (2002) further defines Pre-Germanic as "[the] language stage that followed the depalatalization of IE palatals (e.g. IE ḱ > PreGmc k) but preceded the Gmc sound shift "Lautverschiebung", "Grimm's Law", (e.g. k > PGmc χ)."[16] Other rules thought to have affected the Pre-Germanic stage include Cowgill's law, which describes the process of laryngeal loss known to have occurred in most post-PIE (IE) dialects, and Osthoff's law, which describes rules for the shortening of long vowels, known to have applied in western dialects such as Greek, Latin, and Celtic, but not in Tocharian or Indo-Iranian. Ringe (2006) suggests that it is likely that Osthoff's Law also applied to Germanic, and that the loss of laryngeals such as h2 must have preceded the application of Grimm's Law.[17]

## See also

[edit]

* Internal reconstruction

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Lehmann (1977), for example, writes: "Possibly the most important conclusion based on archeological evidence with relevance for linguistic purposes is the assumption of 'one huge cultural area' which was undisturbed for approximately a thousand years, roughly from 1500 – 500 BC. Such a conclusion in a stable culture permits inferences concerning linguistic stability, which are important for an interpretation of the Germanic linguistic data."[5][6]
2. ^ "On setting the upper boundary of a comprehensive description of Proto-Germanic grammar, Lehmann (2005) wrote: (...) a grammar of Proto-Germanic must be a description of the language from approximately 2500 BC to the beginning of the common era (...)."[10]
3. ^ See also Northwest Germanic.
4. ^ Antonsen refers to this stage as "Late Proto-Indo-European".[14]
5. ^ See also Proto-Germanic Phonology.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Harbert, Wayne (2007). The Germanic languages. Cambridge language surveys. Cambridge New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-01511-0.
2. ^ Coetsem, Frans van; Kufner, Herbert L.; Coetsem, Frans van; Kufner, Herbert L., eds. (2011). Toward a grammar of Proto-Germanic. Berlin: De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-154904-0.
3. ^ Adamczyk, Elżbieta (2018). Reshaping of the nominal inflection in early Northern West Germanic. NOWELE. Amsterdam Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. ISBN 978-90-272-6441-1.
4. ^ "A Grammar of Proto-Germanic: Contents". lrc.la.utexas.edu. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
5. ^ Kolb-Lauffer.
6. ^ van Coetsem (1994).
7. ^ Davis (2006), p. 40.
8. ^ van Coetsem (1994), pp. 145–46.
9. ^ Gutenbrunner (1986), pp. 182–97.
10. ^ Lehmann (2007).
11. ^ van Coetsem (1994), pp. 17, 72–73, 146–147.
12. ^ a b van Coetsem (1994), p. 42.
13. ^ Voyles (1992), p. 3.
14. ^ Antonsen (2002), pp. 17–18.
15. ^ van Coetsem (1994), pp. 193–94.
16. ^ Koivulehto (2002), p. 585.
17. ^ Ringe (2006), pp. 68–93.

## Sources

[edit]

* Antonsen, Elmer (2002). Runes and Germanic Linguistics. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 3-11-017462-6.
* van Coetsem, Frans (1994). The Vocalism of the Germanic Parent Language: Systemic Evolution and Sociohistorical Context. Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag C Winter. ISBN 3-8253-0223-7.
* Davis, Graeme (2006). Comparative Syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic: Linguistic, Literary and Historical Implications. Bern: Peter Lang. ISBN 3-03910-270-2.
* Gutenbrunner, Siegfried (1986). "Der Begriff Germanisch". Current Issues in Linguistic Theory. 38. Brogyanyi and Krömmelbein (Eds): 183–198\. doi:10.1075/cilt.38.11gut. ISBN 978-90-272-3526-8.
* Koivulehto, Jorma (2002). "Contact with non-Germanic languages II: Relations to the East". The Nordic Languages: An International Handbook of the History of the North Germanic Languages (Bandle, Oscar [Ed.]). Berlin, New York: de Gruyter: 583–593\. ISBN 978-3-11-014876-3.
* Ringe, Don (2006). From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic (PDF). A Linguistic History of English (1st ed.). New York City: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-928413-9. OCLC 64554645. OL 7405151M. Wikidata Q131605459.
* Voyles, Joseph B. (1992). Early Germanic Grammar: Pre-, Proto-, and Post-Germanic. San Diego: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-728270-X.
* Kolb-Lauffer (ed.). "Language Contact and Inference in the Germanic Period". Sprachliche Interferenz: 278–91.
* Lehmann, Winfred P. (2007). Slocum, Jonathan (ed.). "A Grammar of Proto-Germanic". Linguistics Research Center. University of Texas. Austin. Archived from the original on 8 November 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2024.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Adamczyk, Elzbieta (1 January 2001). "Old English reflexes of Sievers' Law". Studia Anglica Posnaniensia: International Review of English Studies. The Free Library. Retrieved 14 November 2007.
* Hartmann, Frederik (2023). Germanic Phylogeny. Oxford Studies in Diachronic and Historical Linguistics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-198-87273-3.
* Prescott, Charles (2012). Germanic and the Ruki Dialects (PDF) (Report). University of Sussex. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2012.
* Ringe, Don (13 July 2017). From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic. A Linguistic History of English (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/OSO/9780198792581.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-879258-1. OCLC 972772031. OL 27415350M. Wikidata Q119269648.
* Slocum, Jonathan; Lehmann, Winfred P. (13 May 2014). "Old English Online". Linguistics Research Center. University of Texas at Austin. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2024.

* v
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Germanic languages

According to contemporary philology

West

| Anglo-Frisian|

| Anglic|

* English
* dialects
* Old English
* Middle English
* Modern English
* Early Modern English
* Irish Middle English
* Fingallian
* Kildare
* Yola
* Scots
* Early Scots
* Middle Scots

|

Frisian|

| Historical forms|

* Old Frisian
* Middle Frisian

|

East Frisian|

* Ems
* Saterland Frisian
* Upgant Frisian
* Weser
* Wangerooge Frisian
* Wursten Frisian
* Harlingerland Frisian

North Frisian|

* Insular
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* Northern
* Central
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* Karrharde
* Strand
* Wiedingharde

West Frisian|

* Hindeloopen
* Schiermonnikoog
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* Mainland West Frisian
* Clay Frisian
* Wood Frisian
* Westereendersk
* Terschelling

Low German|

| Historical forms|

* Old Saxon
* Middle Low German

|

West Low German|

* Dutch Low Saxon
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* Westphalian

East Low German|

* Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch
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* Central Pomeranian
* East Pomeranian
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* Plautdietsch / Mennonite Low German

Low Franconian|

| Historical forms|

* Frankish
* Old Dutch
* Middle Dutch

|

Standard variants|

* Dutch
* Afrikaans (Kaaps)

West Low Franconian|

* Central Dutch
* Hollandic
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* French Flemish
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* Surinamese Dutch
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East Low Franconian|

* Limburgish

Cover groups|

* Bergish
* Meuse-Rhenish

High German
(German)|

| Historical forms|

* Old High German
* Middle High German
* New High German
* Early New High German

|

Standard German|

* German Standard German
* Austrian Standard German
* Swiss Standard German

Non-standard variants
and creoles|

* Namibian German
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* Yenish
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* Eastern
* Western
* Scots Yiddish
* Klezmer-loshn
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Central German|

| West Central German|

* Central Franconian
* Ripuarian
* Colognian
* Southeast Limburgish
* Moselle Franconian
* Luxembourgish
* Transylvanian Saxon
* Hunsrückisch
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* Lorraine Franconian
* Palatine
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* Pennsylvania Dutch
* Hessian
* Central Hessian
* Amana German

|

East Central German|

* Thuringian
* Upper Saxon
* Erzgebirgisch
* Lusatian
* Silesian German
* High Prussian
* Wymysorys
* Halcnovian

Upper German|

* Alemannic in the broad sense
* Low Alemannic
* Alsatian
* Coloniero
* High Alemannic
* Swiss German
* Highest Alemannic
* Walser German
* Swabian
* Bavarian
* Northern Bavarian
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* Cimbrian
* Mòcheno
* Hutterite German
* Gottscheerish
* South Franconian
* East Franconian
* Vogtlandian
* Langobardic

North and East

| North|

| Historical forms|

* Proto-Norse
* Old Norse
* Old West Norse
* Old East Norse
* Old Gutnish

|

West|

* Norwegian
* Bergensk
* Kebabnorsk
* Sognamål
* Trøndersk
* Valdris
* Vestlandsk
* Vikværsk
* Bokmål (written)
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* Old Norwegian
* Middle Norwegian
* Faroese
* Icelandic
* Old Icelandic
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* Greenlandic Norse
* Norn

East|

* Swedish
* Swedish dialects
* Rinkebysvenska
* Danish
* Danish dialects
* Insular Danish
* Jutlandic
* South Jutlandic
* East Danish
* Bornholmsk
* Scanian (historically)
* Southern Schleswig Danish
* Gøtudanskt
* Perkerdansk
* Old Danish
* Middle Danish
* Dalecarlian
* Elfdalian

* Gutnish
* Mainland Gutnish
* Fårö Gutnish

East|

* Gothic
* Crimean Gothic
* Ostrogoth
* Visigoth
* Gepid ?
* Burgundian
* Vandalic
* Herulian ?
* Skirian ?

Philology

| Language subgroups|

* North
* East
* West
* Elbe (Irminonic)
* Weser-Rhine (Istvaeonic)
* North Sea (Ingvaeonic)

* Northwest
* Gotho-Nordic
* South

|

Reconstructed|

* Proto-Germanic
* Proto-Germanic grammar
* Germanic parent language
* Ancient Belgian language

Diachronic features|

* Grimm's law
* Verner's law
* Holtzmann's law
* Sievers's law
* Kluge's law
* Germanic substrate hypothesis
* West Germanic gemination
* High German consonant shift
* Germanic a-mutation
* Germanic umlaut
* Germanic spirant law
* Ingvaeonic nasal spirant law
* Great Vowel Shift

Synchronic features|

* Germanic verb
* Germanic strong verb
* Germanic weak verb
* Preterite-present verb
* Grammatischer Wechsel
* Indo-European ablaut

* Italics indicate extinct languages
* Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

* v
* t
* e

Germanic peoples

Ethnolinguistic group of Northern European origin primarily identified as speakers of Germanic languages

History|

* Nordic Bronze Age
* Germania
* Pre-Roman Iron Age
* Roman Iron Age
* Romano-Germanic culture
* Germanic Iron Age
* Viking Age

Early culture|

* Architecture
* Art
* Calendar
* Clothing
* Family
* Festivals
* Folklore
* Proto-Germanic folklore
* Anglo-Saxon mythology
* Continental Germanic mythology
* Norse mythology)
* Funerary practices
* Anglo-Saxon
* Norse
* Law
* Anglo-Saxon
* Norse
* Literature
* Anglo-Saxon
* Norse
* Names
* Gothic
* Numbers
* Paganism
* Anglo-Saxon
* Gothic
* Norse
* Rings
* Scripts
* Gothic alphabet
* Runes
* Sippe
* Symbology
* Warfare
* Anglo-Saxon
* Gothic and Vandal
* Viking

Languages|

* Germanic parent language
* Proto-Germanic language
* East Germanic languages
* North Germanic languages
* West Germanic languages

Groups|

* Alemanni
* Brisgavi
* Bucinobantes
* Lentienses
* Raetovari
* Adrabaecampi
* Angles
* Anglo-Saxons
* Ambrones
* Ampsivarii
* Angrivarii
* Armalausi
* Auiones
* Avarpi
* Baemi
* Baiuvarii
* Banochaemae
* Bastarnae
* Batavi
* Belgae
* Germani cisrhenani
* Atuatuci
* Caeroesi
* Condrusi
* Eburones
* Paemani
* Segni
* Morini
* Nervii
* Bateinoi
* Betasii
* Brondings
* Bructeri
* Burgundians
* Buri
* Cananefates
* Caritni
* Casuari
* Chaedini
* Chaemae
* Chamavi
* Chali
* Charudes
* Chasuarii
* Chattuarii
* Chatti
* Chauci
* Cherusci
* Cimbri
* Cobandi
* Corconti
* Cugerni
* Danes
* Dauciones
* Dulgubnii
* Favonae
* Firaesi
* Fosi
* Franks
* Ripuarian Franks
* Salian Franks
* Frisiavones
* Frisii
* Gambrivii
* Geats
* Gepids
* Goths
* Crimean Goths
* Greuthungi
* Gutones
* Ostrogoths
* Thervingi
* Thracian Goths
* Visigoths
* Gutes
* Harii
* Hermunduri
* Heruli
* Hilleviones
* Ingaevones
* Irminones
* Istvaeones
* Jutes
* Juthungi
* Lacringi
* Lemovii
* Lombards
* Heaðobards
* Lugii
* Diduni
* Helisii
* Helveconae
* Manimi
* Nahanarvali
* Marcomanni
* Marsacii
* Marsi
* Mattiaci
* Nemetes
* Njars
* Nuithones
* Osi
* Quadi
* Reudigni
* Rugii
* Rugini
* Saxons
* Semnones
* Sicambri
* Sciri
* Sitones
* Suarines
* Suebi
* Sunici
* Swedes
* Taifals
* Tencteri
* Teutons
* Thelir
* Thuringii
* Toxandri
* Treveri
* Triboci
* Tubantes
* Tulingi
* Tungri
* Ubii
* Usipetes
* Vagoth
* Vandals
* Hasdingi
* Silingi
* Vangiones
* Varisci
* Victohali
* Vidivarii
* Vinoviloth
* Warini

Christianization|

* Gothic Christianity
* Christianization of the Franks
* Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England
* Christianization of Scandinavia
* Christianization of Iceland

* Category

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