Welcome to Gaia! ::

Reply Etymology and Language History
So, where do languages get their names? Goto Page: 1 2 [>] [»|]

Quick Reply

Enter both words below, separated by a space:

Can't read the text? Click here

Submit

Doppelgaanger

7,350 Points
  • Forum Junior 100
  • Invisibility 100
  • Mark Twain 100
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:38 pm


This question has been bugging me for a while. Why do the Germans call their language Deutch, while it's German in English?

Why do they even call it Deutch at all? Or us German?

Seriously.

But, I'm not just talking about German, but also about any other language's name.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:29 pm


Well, my question then is, why do they call it Deutchland, and how did English get Germany/German out of that?

Doppelgaanger

7,350 Points
  • Forum Junior 100
  • Invisibility 100
  • Mark Twain 100

Lawrencew
Crew

PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:25 pm


I think it's really weird that it's German in English. I mean, German doesn't even have the English 'j' sound!

I think it probably comes from old names for the country or something.

Ps. If I'm not mistaked, it's Deutschland, not Deutchland.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:12 pm


Yeah... Your'e right, it's Deuschland.

Doppelgaanger

7,350 Points
  • Forum Junior 100
  • Invisibility 100
  • Mark Twain 100

Lawrencew
Crew

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:34 pm


Just noticed this. Not sure if you're mistaken or if it was a typo, but it's Deutschland, not Deuschland/Deutchland.
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:24 pm


The names for the German language vary greatly. For example:
English-German
Spanish-Alemán
Italian-Tedesco
French-Allemand
Dutch-Duits
Norwegian-Tysk
Swedish-Tysk
Tagalog-Mikrobyo
Polish-Niemka
Serbian-Nemac
Icelandic-þýskur (THEES-kur)

sono italiano


Daionii

PostPosted: Sun May 11, 2008 12:38 pm


I was thinking about this quite recently.
German in Welsh is 'Almaeneg' =]

'Wales' comes from an old anglo-saxon word 'walas' which means 'foreigners' (or something like that)..
And 'Cymru' is from an old Welsh word meaning 'strength'.

So I think the words for languages and countries are based on however the other country sees them, maybe?
I'm not sure.
PostPosted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:12 pm


Daionii
So I think the words for languages and countries are based on however the other country sees them, maybe?
I'm not sure.


I like that idea... but then maybe some countries don't know about a place (like Germany...), so they have loan word?

Doppelgaanger

7,350 Points
  • Forum Junior 100
  • Invisibility 100
  • Mark Twain 100

sono italiano

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2008 3:38 pm


Well....I've got it. German, well acctually not "German," but other languages' words for German, such as Alemán or Allemand, come from the word for the Alemanni. The Alemanni were a Germanic tribe in the time of the Roman empire. So those names derive from that, however, i dont know about Tedesco or Tysk, etc.
PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:29 am


'Germany' is, presumably, from the Latin 'Germania', and 'German' from the adjective 'german(ic)us,' though where they got the words from, I don't know

Lady9tales


Daionii

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:18 pm


Doppelgaanger
Daionii
So I think the words for languages and countries are based on however the other country sees them, maybe?
I'm not sure.


I like that idea... but then maybe some countries don't know about a place (like Germany...), so they have loan word?


Yeah, I think it would be a loanword.
E.g. - Welsh for 'Japan' is 'Siapan'
Cornish for 'Japan' is 'Nihon'
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:16 am


well..im assuming Germany and German come from the latin word for the region, Germania, and the people and language of the area were described as Germanic in english...

Allemand in french comes from the germanic tribe Allemani

just like France is derived from the germanic tribe the Franks, Britain from Britons, Russia from Rus, Turkey from Turks, etc.

in most cases, place names are derrived from the people that live there, and languages are derrived from either the people or the area name...

TheEscapist58


lili of the lamplight

PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:47 pm


Eh, I know I heard an explanation of the origin of the word "Deutsch" somewhere... I think it was derrived from a name one of the Germanic tribes used in referring to itself.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:56 am


I think it's probably the same way the people get the name. It probably originates from their word for "human".

Prince Rilian

Reply
Etymology and Language History

Goto Page: 1 2 [>] [»|]
 
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum