Why is English related to other languages?

Language family- collection of languages related through a common

ancestor that existed long before recorded history

Language branch- related through a common ancestor several thousand years ago

Language group- collection of languages within a branch that share

a common origin in the relatively recent past and display relatively few

differences in grammar and vocab

Language

Indo European

Family

Germanic Branch

West Germanic

Group

English

Example

Dialect

Regional variation of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation

What is an accent?

http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_atlas.php

What about dialects?

Ever been to Boston?

Cah: example: "Take the next cah to Nawth Station; get off at Haymahket.“

Wicked A general intensifier: "He's wicked nuts!"

Grinda A sub or spuckie.

How about Texas?

The engine's runnin' but ain't nobody drivingTranslation: Not overly-intelligent

Big hat, no cattleTranslation: All talk and no action

Don't call him a cowboy, till you've seen him rideTranslation: Don't judge a book by its cover

What is an isogloss?

Germanic Branch (predominate in Northern and

Western Europe)

Indo Iranian Branch (this branch has the most speakers with 1

billion people)

Balto-Slavic Branch (wide range of

languages and land area because of

groups separating and living in

isolation for several years)

Romance Branch (Evolved from Latin)

Major Indo-European Branches

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