Frisian vs English


Frisian refers to a closely related group of Germanic languages:

  • West Frisian spoken in the Netherlands
  • Saterland Frisian spoken in Lower Saxony, Germany‏‎
  • North Frisian spoken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
  • East Frisian Low Saxon, the dialect of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany

Although the language was at risk of being eroded by German‏‎ there have been moves to spread its use and now about 350,000 people speak it, mainly in the Netherlands.

Historically speaking the relationship between English and Frisian is very close sharing a great deal of vocabulary‏‎. It has been estimated that there is an 80% lexical similarity between the two languages, often including basic everyday words. This relationship comes due to the close historical links between the Netherlands and the UK (mainly involving invading Angles and Saxons).

Goeie moarn > Good morning

Tankje > Thank you

Ik leavje dy > I love you

Myn hoverkreaft is fol fan Eels > My hovercraft is full of eels


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Posted in Linguistics.

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