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phonology, semantics, etymology, lexicography, morphology, syntax and some
others.
UNIT 2. THE GERMANIC GROUP OF LANGUAGES AND THE PLACE
OF ENGLISH IN IT
§ 1. Generalities about Germanic languages
The English language belongs genetically to the Germanic, sometimes referred
to as
Teutonic
, group of languages. The Germanic group is one of the twelve groups
of the Indo-European (IE) linguistic family. Most of the present-day Europe and huge
parts of other continents are populated today by the speakers of the IE languages,
Germanic being one of the most wide-spread groups.
The spread of Germanic languages was not always so extensive.
In ancient
times, the territory of Germanic languages was relatively limited. For instance, in the
1
st
c. A.D. Germanic languages were spoken only in Scandinavia,
Germany and
adjacent territories.
All Germanic languages are divided into three groups: (1) East Germanic, (2)
North Germanic, (3) West Germanic.
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