Language Contact and the Origins of the Germanic Languages

History, archaeology, and human evolutionary genetics provide us with an increasingly detailed view of the origins and development of the peoples that live in Northwestern Europe. This book aims to restore the key position of historical linguistics in this debate by treating the history of the Germanic languages as a history of its speakers.

Autorentext

Peter Schrijver is Professor of Celtic Languages and Culture at the University of Utrecht. He is a historical linguist working on ancient and medieval languages in Europe. His publications include Studies in British Celtic Historical Phonology and Celtic Influence in Old English.

Inhalt

1. Introduction 2. The Rise of English 3. The Origin of High German 4. The Origins of Dutch 5. Beginnings 6. Conclusions.