Dutch Dialects - Sister and Daughter Languages

Sister and Daughter Languages

Many native speakers of Dutch, both in Belgium and the Netherlands, assume that Afrikaans and West Frisian are 'deviant' dialects of Dutch. In fact, they are separate and different languages, a daughter language and a sister language, respectively. Afrikaans evolved mainly from Dutch, but had influences from various other languages in South Africa. However, it is still largely mutually intelligible with Dutch. (West) Frisian evolved from the same West Germanic branch as Anglo-Saxon and is less akin to Dutch.

Read more about this topic:  Dutch Dialects

Famous quotes containing the words sister and, sister, daughter and/or languages:

    My sister and I, you will recollect, were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two souls which are so closely allied.
    Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)

    Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.
    Bible: New Testament, Mark 3:35.

    Jesus.

    Daughter daughter whistle
    And you shall have a sheep
    Unknown. Whistle, Daughter, Whistle (l. 17–18)

    Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those languages, or we remain mute.
    —J.G. (James Graham)