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Indo European family of languages

Languages, which show some common features and some shared properties, are said to belong to one family. It is assumed that such systematic similarities cannot be accidental; these similarities are there because the concerned languages have ‘descended’ from a common ‘parent’. That is, at some point of time, there was a language spoken all over a given geographical area which over a period of time broke up, fragmented, into a number of ‘sibling’ varieties. With the passage of time these varieties become sufficiently different from each other to be considered as separate languages.


 As far as English is concerned, it perhaps started as a speech of some Germanic tribes in Europe and through a series of changes brought about by migrations, invasions, conversions, settlement and colonization assumed its present avatars. 

The Germanic speech group consist a branch of the Indo-European family of languages and in the sub-branches of Germanic branch; English is placed in the sub-family.

The Indo-European language family is one of the most widely distributed and influential language families in the world. It encompasses a vast array of languages spoken across Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, with over 450 individual languages and dialects.

Shared Features and Historical Connections

Indo-European languages share a number of common features, including:

  • Grammatical Structure: They often have complex grammatical systems with features such as case, gender, number, and tense.
  • Vocabulary: Many words in Indo-European languages are related to each other, often through cognates (words that have a common ancestor). For example, the English word "brother" is related to the German "Bruder," the Latin "frater," and the Sanskrit "bhrātar."
  • Historical Connections: It is believed that Indo-European languages originated from a single proto-language, Proto-Indo-European, which was spoken thousands of years ago. This proto-language is thought to have been spoken in the steppes of Central Asia, and its descendants spread across Europe and Asia through migration and conquest.

Major Branches of the Indo-European Language Family

The Indo-European language family is divided into several major branches, each with its own unique characteristics and history:

  • Indo-Aryan: This branch includes languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent, such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, and Marathi. Sanskrit is considered the oldest and most influential language in this branch.
  • Iranian: This branch includes languages spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, and other parts of Central Asia, such as Persian, Kurdish, Pashto, and Tajiki.
  • Balto-Slavic: This branch includes languages spoken in Eastern Europe, such as Russian, Polish, Czech, Lithuanian, and Latvian. Slavic languages are known for their rich grammatical systems and complex phonological structures.
  • Italic: This branch includes languages derived from Latin, such as Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Romanian. Latin was the language of the Roman Empire and has had a profound influence on the development of European languages.
  • Celtic: This branch includes languages spoken in Western Europe, such as Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Breton. Celtic languages have a long and complex history, with many ancient Celtic languages becoming extinct over time.
  • Germanic: This branch includes languages spoken in Northern Europe and parts of North America, such as English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish. Germanic languages are known for their strong emphasis on consonant clusters and their use of grammatical inflection.

Impact on Human History and Culture

The Indo-European language family has had a profound impact on human history and culture. It has played a crucial role in the spread of ideas, knowledge, and religion, and has shaped the identity of countless people around the world. The Latin language, for example, was the language of the Roman Empire and has had a significant influence on the development of European languages and cultures.

In conclusion, the Indo-European language family is a vast and diverse group of languages with a rich and complex history. Understanding the shared features and relationships between these languages can provide valuable insights into the development of human language and culture.

 Ardhendu De

Reference: Wood, F. T. (1961). An Outline History of the English Language.

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