7 Intriguing Language Pairs Rooted in a Shared Past

Languages have the uncanny ability to divide us and still connect us as humans. Have you ever wondered how the languages spoken across vast distances share surprising similarities? Many languages share common cognates – verbs, expressions, grammar, and syntax. For example, a native French speaker may hear some words spoken in Spanish, while an English speaker can hear some German words if explicitly conscious about the meaning. Why is this?

The answer lies in language families, which are groups of languages that evolved from a common ancestor tongue. Today, I will embark on a fascinating journey to explore 10 diverse languages from around the globe, that all stem from the same linguistic roots. But first, I’ll use English as a base point to help you understand how to match language similarity!

Similarity in Languages and What It Means

This in itself is an excellent topic to consider for your essay – the origin of languages and their similarity. If you need further expert help on this topic then you should go for writing experts from professional essay services. For instance, you can choose the best paper writer at masterpapers.com and have them develop an outline and a thesis for you.

Back to the subject. What does language similarity use English as a base? English is geographically the most widely spoken language in the world, although it is trumped by Chinese and Spanish when it comes to the number of native speakers. It is also the language of instruction in many nations around the world.

When it comes to English, I must consider several factors that intertwine to give it its unique feel:

• Vocabulary – You may come across words that sound alike or mean nearly the same thing. These are called “cognates” and they often share a common etymological origin. For example, the English word “star” and the Hindi word “sitara” mean the same thing and appear remarkably similar.
• Syntax – This basically refers to the arrangement of words and phrases in a certain order to create well-formed sentences. English primarily uses the Subject-Verb-Object syntax order. This is also similar to Dutch and German to some extent, both of which share common origins with English.
• Grammar – This is all about the rules of sentence construction, in which case some languages feature parallel grammatical structures. For example, both French and English share auxiliary verbs. A sentence like “I am reading” in English would be spoken as “Je suis en train de lire” in French.
• Phonetics – This refers to the sounds made and pronunciation when speaking. While less of an indicator of etymological roots, phonetics is still useful to know where two or more languages have crossed paths.

With these in mind, let’s now jump to languages that seem to have a common etymological root.

1. English & Hindi

This might probably be the most unlikely pairing on the list – English and Hindi. Despite the disparate pairings, their distinct sounds and writing systems, both belong to the vast Indo-European family – encompassing over 600 languages spoken by billions!

The common history is evident in their cognates. For instance, the English “father” and Hindi “pita” uniquely sound and feel similar, as both descend from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) word pətēr.

Another cognate is the English word “three” and the Hindi word “teen” which share the common pie root *trei-/*tris. Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language, is immensely significant in understanding the development of many languages within this family.

2. English & German

I’ve already mentioned English and German as being cousins from the same origin. Both belong to the West Germanic branch of the Indo-European family tree. Their common ancestor was – Proto-Germanic, spoken around 2000 BCE.

German is quite distinctive from English shaped by centuries of independent evolution. However, looking at the cognates below the kinship is undeniable.

Besides this, English has borrowed several loan words from German and which sound distinctly German, such as “angst” and “kindergarten”.

3. Spanish & French

Spanish and French are near to the foundations of the Romance language family, that is a branch of Indo-European. These two and others such as Italian and Portuguese share a common ancestor, i.e. Latin, the language of the Roman Empire.

Here are some cognates that illustrate their shared lineage:

Besides these, the grammatical structure of many romance languages is reflected in their Latin roots.

4. Finnish & Hungarian

Finland is found in northern Europe, in Scandinavia. Hungary, on the other hand, is located near Poland, towards the Balkans. However, Finnish and Hungarian are both members of the Uralic language family, spoken across Northern Eurasia.

Despite the geographical distance, certain fascinating cognates showcase the remarkable history.

Recent linguistic studies have also hinted at a possibly deeper connection and common ancestry between Uralic and Indo-European languages.

5. Japanese & Korean

It wouldn’t be the most unlikely thing for most people to imagine Japanese and Korean having a common origin. After all, the two peoples share nearly similar geography in the farthest reaches of East Asia, and an uncanny resemblance.

Though not mutually intelligible, the two languages belong to the Japonic language family. Their shared origin is evident in cognates like:

Researchers have also suggested that there is a possible relationship between the Japonic and other Altaic languages spoken across Central Asia.

6. Arabic & Hebrew

Venturing into the Middle East, I encounter Arabic and Hebrew, members of the Afroasiatic language family, which also have common Semitic and Biblical roots. This also encompasses languages that are spoken across some parts of Africa and Southwest Asia.

Here are some cognates that reveal their shared heritage:

Both these languages have rich literary traditions that demonstrate their enduring power through the ages and their shared linguistic roots.

7. Swahili & Malay

If this was an essay, then our journey takes an unexpected turn as I explore the Austronesian language family. This stretches from Southeast Asia to Madagascar and even Easter Island, the most remote place on earth.

Languages like Swahili (spoken in East Africa) and Malay (spoken in Southeast Asia) share a surprisingly deep connection, thanks to ancient maritime migrations. Here are some cognates that showcase how the distance is bridged:

Wrapping Up

Distance is only an illusion – at least that’s what these similar languages and their etymology show. From bustling European cafes to remote Pacific islands, I have uncovered the profound interconnectedness of languages.

I have explored these 7 language pairs and their cognates that have showed us their shared past. The languages, some in far-flung corners of the world are united in a common ancestry. Hopefully, you’ll be curious enough about your own language to explore more.

Arslan Hussain

Arslan Hussain, founder of The Different Languages, is an experienced translator passionate about languages and cultures. Through his website, he shares his knowledge and love for different languages, making learning accessible and enjoyable.