LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.09.24 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 24.SEP.2004 (07) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Gary Taylor <gary_taylor_98 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language Varieties

Hi John, me ow china, hi all

Can't really add a lot of input into the discussion about Celtic learning of
Old English and the results thereof apart from to mention my current
situation.

I have English as my mother-tongue, but I now live in Berlin where I've been
for nearly 4 years. I
occassionally speak English, but mainly speak German. When I speak German I
make *typical* English mistakes such as translating certain English idioms,
pronunciation, occassional misuse of tenses etc. However, I rarely use
English words when I'm speaking German, although the tendency in German
these days is to insert lots of English words such as 'whatever' or
'anyway'. This is partly because I'm never sure which English words would be
generally understood, so I always use a German equivalent.

My situation is naturally different from the situation of the Celts and
Germanic settlers/invaders in that I have chosen to use German. Also there's
not a large enough concentration of native English speakers here so that our
mistakes will begin to sound normal to German ears.

The other side of the coin is that I've noticed a change in my English due
to German influence. I can remember, before I spent a long time in Germany
and when I was still teaching English, that non-native English speakers tend
to use the word 'also' a lot, whereas in my own English I would much rather
use 'too' or 'as well', and 'also' sounded very formal to me. But I've now
discovered that when I speak English I'm *also* using 'also' a lot -
possibly a translation
of German sentences where 'auch' comes in the middle of a sentence like
'also' whereas 'too' and 'as well' come at the end of a sentence. It's
difficult to know if this is a direct German influence or where it's come
from, but this is just one of many concrete changes in my English.

Anyway, I've waffled on, but just wanted basically to show that there was
almost certainly influences passing between the Celtic and Germanic
languages, but to pinpoint what these were is very difficult - and the fact
that few Celtic words have been absorbed into
English, I think, tends to downplay the influences involved.

Gary

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