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Proto-Germanic is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Germanic languages. Linguists use the comparative method to reconstruct Proto-Germanic, which is not a directly attested language but rather a hypothetical entity. Its existence is inferred from the systematic correspondences found in the sound systems and grammars of its daughter languages, such as English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, and Gothic. These correspondences reveal regular sound changes that occurred as Proto-Germanic diverged into the various branches of the Germanic family. Key features of Proto-Germanic phonology include Grimm's Law and Verner's Law, which describe major consonant shifts that distinguish Germanic languages from other Indo-European languages. Its grammar is believed to have been highly inflected, with a complex system of noun declensions and verb conjugations. The exact time and place of Proto-Germanic's existence are debated, but scholars generally place it between the 1st millennium BCE and the 1st century CE, possibly in southern Scandinavia or northern Germany. Understanding Proto-Germanic is crucial for tracing the historical development of the Germanic languages and their relationship to other Indo-European languages.