The Germanic Origin of the Anglo-Saxon-Scandinavian languages

The history of the English language begins with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD - the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, who crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany.

At that time the inhabitants of Britain spoke a Celtic language. Most of the Celtic speakers were pushed west and north by the invaders - mainly into what is now Wales, Scotland and Ireland. There is now very little Celtic influence left in the English language.

The Angles came from Englaland and their language was called Englisc - from which the words England and English are derived. Their name lives on in the district of England named East Anglia, and also in the Anglican Church. In present-day Germany there is still a region known as Angeln (also known as Anglia), which is likely the same area from which the original Angles came. Angeln lies in Schleswig-Holstein on the eastern side of the Jutland peninsula near the cities of Flensburg and Schleswig.

The following are several English words, followed by the accompanying German word, and then the Swedish word:

hair, Haar, hår
nose, Nase, näsa
shoes, Schuhe, skor
foot, Fuß, fot
hand, Hand, hand
knee, Knie, knä
elbow, Ellenbogen, armbåge
lips, Lippen, läppar
house, Haus, hus
earth, Erde, jord
sun, Sonne, sol
moon, Mond, måne
star, Stern, stjärna
grass, Gras, gräs
water, Wasser, vatten
fire, Feuer, eld
ice, Eis, is
snow, Schnee, snö
hot, Heiß, varm
cold, Kalt, kall
ship, Schiff, fartyg
sword, Schwert, svärd
axe, Axt, yxa
blood, Blut, blod
family, Familie, familj
brother, Bruder, bror
sister, Schwester, syster
mother, Mutter, moder
father, Vater, far
daughter, Tochter, dotter
baby, Baby, bebis
love, Liebe, karlek
hate, Hassen, hata
drink, Trinken, dricka
sleep, Schlafen, sova
grave, Grab, grav
awake, Wach, vaken
spit, Spucken, spotta
wine, Wein, vin
apple, Apfel, äpple
bread, Brot, bröd
bake, backen, baka
lamb, Lamm, lamm
bear (the animal), Bär, björn
friend, Freund, vän
enemy, Feind, fiende
red, Rot, röd
blue, Blau, blå
brown, Braun, brun
gray, Grau, grå
white, Weiß, vit
green, Grün, grön
gold, Gold, guld
silver, Silber, silver
copper, Kupfer, koppar