frühgermanische

Frühgermanisch refers to the earliest reconstructible stage of the Germanic languages. It is not a single unified language but rather a hypothetical proto-language from which all later Germanic languages are believed to have descended. Linguists reconstruct Frühgermanisch through comparative methods, examining similarities and differences in vocabulary, grammar, and phonology across the attested early Germanic languages such as Gothic, Old Norse, Old English, Old High German, and Old Frisian.

The exact timeframe for Frühgermanisch is debated, but it is generally considered to have existed from around the 1st century BCE to the 2nd century CE. It is thought to have developed from Proto-Indo-European through a series of sound changes, most notably Grimm's Law and Verner's Law, which distinguish Germanic languages from other Indo-European branches. Key features of reconstructed Frühgermanisch include a fixed initial stress accent, the development of umlaut, and a more simplified inflectional system compared to Proto-Indo-European.

While no written records of Frühgermanisch exist, its existence and characteristics are inferred from the earliest written evidence of its daughter languages. These early stages, often called Proto-Germanic or Proto-West-Germanic for specific branches, show significant developments from the reconstructed Frühgermanisch. Understanding Frühgermanisch is crucial for tracing the evolution of modern Germanic languages like German, English, Dutch, Swedish, and Danish.