The History of English Podcast Episode 31: Saxons, Franks and Other West Germans
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Sep 25, 2013 AI Snips
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West Germanic Influence
- The Anglo-Saxons, along with other West Germanic tribes, shaped languages like German, Dutch, and Friesian.
- These tribes also influenced early French and the development of modern nation-states France and Germany.
Angles vs. Saxons
- All Angles migrated to Britain, while only some Saxons did, leading to Angle dominance.
- This shift led to the language being called "English," not "Saxon," reflecting the new power dynamic.
High German vs. Low German
- The Lombard language, a Germanic dialect, experienced consonant shifts similar to other Southern Germanic tribes.
- These shifts distinguish Low German dialects from High German dialects, forming a key difference between English and German.