DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2706-6185/47/172-176
Gunel Valiyeva
National Aviation Academy
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4109-2372
gvaliyeva@naa.edu.az
Old Germanic Languages
Abstract
This study offers a comprehensive overview of the early Germanic languages, focusing on their historical development, internal classification, and linguistic features. It examines key dialects such as Gothic, Old Norse, Old English, Old High German, and others within the broader framework of Proto-Germanic. The article discusses the challenges in reconstructing ancestral forms, dialectal groupings, and the influence of archaeological and linguistic evidence on Germanic classification. Special attention is given to phonological shifts such as Grimm’s and Verner’s Laws, vowel and consonant system developments, and morphological innovations like the weak verb preterite formation. Syntax and vocabulary are addressed through structural and semantic analyses, and the article also explores onomastics as a tool for tracing early phonological changes. Drawing on a wide range of scholarly sources, this study integrates traditional philology with modern linguistic approaches, making it a valuable resource for the historical study of Germanic languages.
Keywords: Old Germanic Languages, Proto-Germanic, morphology, historical phonetics Syntax, Germanic dialects, Germanic lexicon, onomastics, language reconstruction, Indian-Europe, Germanic word order