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Which Foreign Language Is Closer To English?

a. French

b. German

c. Spanish

d. Gaelic

e. Italian

Correct answer and historical references will posted within 7 days.

Welcome Sunshipper. I believe it,s German. Dutch and Frisian are also closely related.

Nice question, Sunshipper, and welcome to the Agora ! Perhaps you would care to define «closer to» in operational terms ? I presume you are not talking about alphabetical order....

Henri

Thanks for the welcome Henri and Grogie.

Suggestion gladly acknowledged and implemented.

Cheers.

Sunshipper
Semper vigilo, paratus et fidelis.

Which Foreign Language Is Closer To English?

a. French

b. German

c. Spanish

d. Gaelic

e. Italian

Correct answer and historical references will posted within 7 days.

Here's my try. Whether Sunshipper and his historical references will call me 'correct' remains to be seen.

In terms of language origins, Frisian (already mentioned by someone in this topic) is closer than any other. Dutch and Low German come next. Of the ones actually listed by sunshipper, German is closer than any other.

In terms of later language history, French is closest (because of the Norman invasion and nearly a thousand years of cultural interchange after that). English and French share more vocabulary than any other of these pairs and a surprising number of grammatical details too.

In terms of geography, English and Gaelic overlap and share bilingual speakers in Scotland; English and French overlap in Canada; English and Spanish overlap and share many bilingual speakers in the US.

Does that work as an answer?

French. You insolent swine.

French. You insolent swine.

Uh, shouldn't that have been, "Français, vous porcs insolents!"



Et, bienvenue, versus!

French. You insolent swine.

Uh, shouldn't that have been, "Français, vous porcs insolents!"



Et, bienvenue, versus!

"Pas tros de cochonnerie", said this little piggie, as he went wee, wee, wee all the way home.

nice, very nice, someone tries to start a flame and it's nicely re-routed. no Turkey's here!

mark

Of course not. We have moved on the "the other white meat".

nice, very nice, someone tries to start a flame and it's nicely re-routed. no Turkey's here!

mark

Nah, I thought versus was trying to imitate the stereotypical Frenchman, only in English, for some very subtle humor. Perhaps he/she forgot the smiley.

Of course, when it's open season on bearded turkeys, I lay low.

. . . The males typically have a "beard" made of modified feathers sticking out from the middle of their breast. The beard averages 9 inches long. In some populations, 10-20% of the female turkeys may also have a beard, but it is usually shorter and thinner than the males.

I hear itth duck theathon.

mark

Just to be on the safe side I checked it out myself, and [url=http://www.dnr.state.md.us[/url] is on April 15, 2006 for the Junior Hunt and April 18-May 23 for the Spring season. Time for us bearded turkeys to lay low lest someone try to measure our beard and spurs.

Which Foreign Language Is Closer To English?
a. French
b. German
c. Spanish
d. Gaelic
e. Italian
Correct answer and historical references will posted within 7 days.

Geographically, I'd say d.
For syntax, b.
For vocabulary, a or b.

But generally, I agree with those saying that Frisian is even closer. For example I have been - Fr. Ik heb weest but Dt. Ik ben geweest, Ge. Ich bin gewesen.

Which Foreign Language Is Closer To English?

a. French

b. German

c. Spanish

d. Gaelic

e. Italian

Correct answer and historical references will posted within 7 days.

"Correct", huh?
Tempted to go with Old English (begging a broad definition of 'foreign', not to mention the problematic 'closer')...
but I'll stay with West Frisian:
"Good butter and good cheese is good English and good Fries".