Languages And Modern Day Names – Why are German called Tyskland in Danish
When it comes to Germanic languages, anomalies are kind of normal. Even the word Germany came from the Latin word, Germania which means folks of Germanic Tribes. But why did this happen? what was the course of history which allowed words to travel and transform? So much so that even country names are different in different languages. But this is not something exclusive to the languages of foreign origin or Scandinavian languages, even Chinese and Japanese languages have unique names for countries.
Germany; The Land Of People Of Rhine
Speaking of the events Germany has seen over the course of history. Germanic Tribes, Napoleonic Wars, Classic antiquity, it has seen all. But today’s Germany has emerged as the strongest European economy. Not just that, it’s the world’s 4th largest economy by national GDP. People have a very high standard of living. Healthcare facilities are top-notch and universities offer tuition-free education.
German Language
Germany’s official language, known as German, is a West Germanic language. German is not just the official language of Germany, it’s also spoken in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and several other regions of Central Europe. More than 100 million people speak German all across the world. It is the third most commonly spoken language in the European Union after English and French. German is also a minority language in several European and Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Russia, and Poland.
The Inflected language has four cases of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, three genders, namely masculine, feminine, and neuter. The two numbers are singular and plural. Word pronunciation is similar to most high Germanic languages.
Danish Language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Demark, Greenland, and regions in North Germany. This full of surprises language is also spoken as a minority community language in Argentina, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, and Spain. The Danish language is a descendant of Old Norse. With its unusually large vowels, 27 phonemically distinctive vowels, Danish has a very different pronunciation in comparison with its neighboring countries. Many of the English words are derived from Latin and Germanic family of languages as well.
Why Is Germany Called Tyskland In Danish?
Perhaps the same way as it is known as Deutschland in German. But no, there is more to that, and it is our time to learn the sorcery. Funny thing is, there are more than one answer and countless theories along with factual insights on the matter. Let’s read them one by one.
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Deutsch Turned Into Tyskland
One of the theories is that Deutsch was derived from “diutisc” which came from Old High German and translates into “belonging to people”. But the North Germanic languages changed the d into t so it’s Tyskland in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, whereas the West Germanic dialect kept the d so it’s Diutsland in Netherland, Dütschland in Switzerland.
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Tyskland is the same as Deutschland
Some say that Tyskland is the same as Deutschland only in Danish. Linguists refer this to a change in the word Deutsch which later turned into theskaland or Tyskland. In Icelandic, Germany is pronounced as Thees Ka Land which is very close.
They further assert that this the West Germanic Dialect Continuum which changed the Diutisc in old High German, Deutsch in modern Germany, Dutch in English, and Tysk in Danish.
Another school of thought also suggested the same and said that initially, the term was Deutsch which later, after correlating with multiple dialects turned into Tyskland.
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There Was A Tribe Named Tysk
Although the upper versions seem more plausible and more probable, another one is quite interesting too. It is said that there was a tribe named Tysk. Well, that could be true, too.
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The Germanic Dialect Continuum And The Two Countries
Being geographically close to each other, and sharing the same language family, the countries have a lot in common. From language to terms to Latin word origins, there are many things they have alike. But the good thing is, that in the modern world, they were and still are working and collaborating on more issues than just sharing national languages.
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1936 Vintage Winter Olympic Games
In the 1936 Winter Olympic Games of Berlin Germany, a ski jumping competition was held at a Resort Town in Bavaria, known as Garmisch Partenkirchen. The poster of the event also used the name Tyskland for Germany and was pasted on walls in Southern Germany.
Denmark And Germany’s Initiative Against Discrimination
Gender identity is not an issue anymore. It has been recognized as one of the basic human rights. But the decisions and statements are not welcomed everywhere. In some places, sexual orientation is not even acknowledged let alone respected.
In a 2017 report of Amnesty International, children born with indefinite sex characteristics are forced to undergo invasive surgeries. Society’s stereotypes about how girls and boys should look are making life miserable for them. Both the Danish government and the German government in association with the health professionals in both countries are concerned and consider the surgeries life-threatening, however, a couple of years back case study showed that they were failing. According to Amnesty International’s stance, authorities and legislators in Germany and Denmark should call for legal actions against those responsible.
The healthcare professionals also said that these surgeries include the removal of sensitive tissues which can cause life long consequences. They said that gender identity should be something left to the individual and not some untrained medical professionals.
It is, however, promising that like all the European countries, Both Germany and Denmark are putting their efforts into ensuring basic human rights provision for the people.
German And Danish Entertainment Industry
The past decade has seen some of the most marvelous installments by Germany. The German series Dark on Netflix gained immense popularity worldwide. The series Rain and Marcella also received positive reviews from critics. Statistics even show that English speaking and non-English speaking audiences alike are always looking forward to watching a new masterpiece of foreign origin in Germanic dialects.
Games And Sports
People are crazy about football. And hundreds and thousands of fans vouch for the German football team. Germany is among the top winners who won the Fifa world cup 4 times.
The German team has a massive fan following all across the world. But it is the most popular spectator sport in Germany. People arrange special gatherings to watch football matches with their families and friends.
Not a surprise that the neighboring country of Denmark is equally fanatic about the football game. Football is a famous sport in all of Denmark and Danish enjoy watching it with the same enthusiasm.
Danish Cookies; The Ultimate Favorite Of Millions Worldwide
Danish cookies are world-famous. Made with butter, sugar, and flour, the butterfly and pretzel-shaped cookies are a treat no one wants to miss. Even today, tea parties are incomplete without Danish cookies. Known for their crispy texture, these cookies are unique and have an iconic taste.
So here it is, starting from commonalities to popular items of these European countries, we have shared a lot of insight with you guys. If you want to learn Danish or German or want to use a translator for official purposes, don’t forget to check your options online.
These languages are cultural heritages and they should always be cherished.
