English and German Languages: How Are These Two Similar?

What if I told you the English we know, hear, and talk in today was not always the same?

Like several languages, English too underwent some evolutionary changes.

These changes were implemented over several centuries to create the modern English of today’s era.

Some English language changes are classified into:

• Old English (450–1100 AD): Majorly influenced by Germanic tribes who settled in England after being driven out of their homeland by the Holy Roman Empire. They create the Anglo-Saxon language by mixing Old English with their language.
• Middle English (1100–1500 AD): During the Crusades (1095–1291), the English Knights Templar went to fight in Jerusalem. They bought back some old Persian words, which further influenced the English language.
• Early Modern English (1500–1700 AD): In this era, William Shakespeare, one of the greatest English playwrights, created over 1700 words, helping shape the earliest form of Modern English.
• Late Modern English (1700–Present): During the colonial period, English merchants interacted with people from other cultures, picking up words from their language and using them in the English language.
• Contemporary & Global English (20th Century–Present): Finally, with rapid advancements in science and technology, certain new phrases and words were introduced in the English language, making it a global lingua franca.

However, amidst this vast evolution, English never forgot its Germanic roots.

In this blog, we will explore these roots by focusing on some similarities between the English and German languages.

Similarities Between English and German Languages

• Shared Historic Roots

As explained above, English was heavily influenced by Germanic tribes. Modern English, along with German, falls under the Germanic language family. This means several words in both languages sound similar. For example, “I have” in English becomes “Ich habe” in German.

Today, over 80% of common English words share the same root as German, making the two languages often referred to as linguistic siblings.

This shared historic root acts as an advantage for English translation services converting content from English to German.

• Common Vocabulary, Sentence Structure, and Alphabet

Apart from having similar origins, English and German follow the same vocabulary, sentence structure, and alphabet. If you have seen any written piece in German, then this would seem obvious to you. Both languages use 26 alphabets except for some letters with umlauts like ä, ö, and ü and a sharp S (ß).

Furthermore, both German and English languages also use the same sentence structure and grammatical features. This includes a uniform use of definite and indefinite articles like “a” and “an” before words starting with consonants and vowels, respectively. The languages also use the subject-verb-object word order and gendered nouns, though English also uses neutral nouns.

• Similar Pronunciation Patterns

Speaking German is quite like speaking English. Yes, there are some considerations to be mindful of. For instance, German pronunciation of words with the letter “s.” The German language has a sharp “S” that sounds like “es” and a soft “S” sounding like “z.”

However, German and English share similar phonetic patterns, like fricative sounds.

A fricative sound is produced when air is forced out of a narrow opening in the vocal tract.

Some similar fricative sounds in English and German languages are:

• Voiceless Labiodental Fricative: The “F” sound in both languages is similar. It is made by placing your upper teeth on your lower lip and forcing air through the small opening.
• Voiced Labiodental Fricative: Pronouncing “V” in both languages is similar to “F.” But in this case, it is voiced, meaning along with forcing air out, you also use the vocal cords.
• Voiceless Alveolar Fricative: The “S” sound matches in both languages with a slight exception to the softer version in German. This means “S” can also sound like “Z” in some cases depending on the word and context.
• Voiced Alveolar Fricative: The “Z” sound is more or less similar in both languages, but sometimes in German it is often sharper, especially when used in the beginning of words.
• Voiceless Palato-Alveolar Fricative: The “SH” sound is the same but is spelled as “SCH” in German. This different spelling alters the pronunciation of some words, like “schule” (school) in German.
• Voiced Palato-Alveolar Fricative: Though the pronunciation of “ZH” is the same in English and German, their applications are different. In English, it appears in words containing “S” or “Z,” whereas in German it can appear in random words, like “garage,” where “G” is pronounced as “ZH.”
• Voiceless Glottal Fricative: The “H” word in both languages is pronounced by expelling air through the vocal cords without vibrations. Peculiarly, Germans tend to use this more frequently and consistently.

A German language translation service that offers interpretation needs to be very careful of these sounds while conveying English messages into German or vice versa.

Do you want to explore the role of German translation services in global communications? Check this blog: Understanding the Role of German Translation Services in Global Communication!

Professional German-to-English Translations

Though the languages have certain similarities, they still need professional assistance during translations. This assistance can be best provided by Somya Translators, an ISO 17100:2015 certified language service provider based in India. If you are looking for exemplary localization in the German language or flawless English proofreading and editing services, we can help.

Our diverse services and expert native linguists can provide the following language solutions:

• German Translations
• German Interpretation
• German Localization
• German Subtitling
• German Voiceover
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• German Linguistic Testing

And much more!

So, if you want to speak organically to German natives or establish your brand’s presence in the robust German market, we can be your perfect solution.

Reach out to us today, and let’s explore how our German linguistic services best help you!