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Originally Posted by P_Funk
Now you may be right that French is most similar to German, but that doesn't preclude German being most similar to English.  |
Maybe, I could be wrong. I just remember that the link between German and English is "Plattdeutsch" (Low german?), and Dutch, I think. You can often see how a word from German is tranformed into a Dutch or Low German word, and from there changed into the English term.
Surprisingly, the Dutch seem to find it easier to understand German, than Germans to understand Dutch language. I often deal with Dutch in the warehouse, Münster is a preferred shopping target of them and relatively close to the border. Often they obviously do not speak German, but understand quite well what me or another German is telling them.
I today regret that I am not competent in French, it depends on what kind of voice is speaking it, but it can sound beautiful and melodic, like English (Orson Welles-kind voice preferred), and German (listen to texts of Rilke!). I also have a weak spot for chansons sung by Yves Montand - another one of these voices....