Because they are neighbours. There has always been a lively trade across the Baltic Sea. The Hanseatic League, which was an alliance of German trading guilds, was ruling the Baltic Sea for three centuries. Although they were merchants, they were strong enough to defeat the Danish Kingdom even in wars and to dictate their peace treaties. During that time the Low German language had a strong influence on the Scandinavian languages, many Germans were marrying and staying in Sweden and vice versa.
Martin Luthers reformation did not reach Southern Germany, but the countries around the Baltic Sea became Lutheran as well. In the religious Thirty-Years-War Sweden was able to save the German Lutherans from their Catholic enemies, and as a winner of the war it was ruling large parts of Northern Germany after that, they were Swedish provinces until 1800.
Why do many Swedish people have German sounding names?
Old High German, Old English, and Old Norse were essentially the same language. Like Bostonian American, Atlantan American, and Seattle American.
Reply:Germanic languages are closely related. My best friend is from Lule氓, Sweden and is named Emma, and her brother is called Niklas (Nicholas). The name "Michael" (My name; from America) is common in Europe also.
Reply:Because Swedish and German come from the same language family.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment