English and German: Love and Hate

German and English both belong to the Indo-European family of languages, specifically the West Germanic branch of the Germanic languages. They are like blood-related brothers. It has been estimated that there are nearly 8,000 similar or closely related words between German and English. Among all foreign words in German, English accounts for the highest proportion, at around 60%.

The influx of English loanwords into German can be divided into three periods. In the 17th century, England experienced a bourgeois revolution, establishing a constitutional monarchy and becoming a model of democracy in Europe. At that time, the Holy Roman Empire was still fragmented, with strong feudal forces still in power. Many Germans admired England, and scholars began studying the political system there, leading to a large influx of English political vocabulary into German. In the 19th century, England led the Industrial Revolution, experiencing economic prosperity and significant growth in national power. During this period, German absorbed and adopted a large number of industrial, technological, and economic terms from English. In the 20th century, especially after the end of World War II, the United States, with its strong political, economic, and military power, promoted English as a global language. Occupied by the victorious Allied Powers led by the United States, post-war Germany adopted American methods to revitalize its economy, resulting in a large influx of American English into German.

The significant number of English loanwords not only influenced the lifestyle of Germans but also had a major impact on the standardization of the German language. In terms of pronunciation, although the two languages have close genetic relationships, there are significant differences in pronunciation. Many English loanwords have undergone the process of adaptation to German native speech, acquiring a German pronunciation. In grammar, one of the most notable features is that German nouns have gender distinctions (feminine, masculine, neuter), and English loanwords have been given this characteristic as well, for example, "der Computer" (the computer).

The invasion of English is seen by many in the German academic community as a serious threat to the survival of the German language. Many language associations have been established to protect the purity of the German language, aiming to regulate German and minimize or eliminate the influence of English and other foreign languages on German. However, in my opinion, in the increasingly globalized world today, English as a universal language will inevitably have an impact on other languages. English loanwords are like a double-edged sword, but overall, they enrich the German language, promote communication and cooperation between Germany and English-speaking countries, and drive the globalization of the German economy.

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