What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to establish a valid periodization of Northwest Germanic by integrating chronology with diatopic variation.

June 7, 2026Open Access

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Northwest Germanic anew

Key Points

This research aims to establish a valid periodization of Northwest Germanic by integrating chronology with diatopic variation.
Analyzes various types of evidence, including reconstruction of linguistic data, examination of loanwords in Fenno-Ugric, and runic data from older inscriptions.
Contrasts findings with traditional views in Germanic philology, specifically discussions by Marold and Zimmermann (1995) and Fulk (2018).
Argues that the Northwest Germanic continuum predates the earliest known runic traditions dating back to the 1st or 2nd century AD.
Highlights evidence that challenges standard philological perspectives on the chronology of Northwest Germanic.

Abstract

Abstract The paper emphasizes the need to combining chronology and diatopic variation to establish a valid periodization of Northwest Germanic. Drawing on different types of evidence – reconstruction, loanwords in Fenno-Ugric and not least runic data (such as the older runic inscriptions, plus Anglo-Frisian and South Germanic runic evidence) – I argue that the NWGmc. continuum predates the earliest runic traditions which start in the 1 st or 2 nd century AD. This dating is in stark contrast to the standard view in Germanic philology as expressed by Marold and Zimmermann (1995) and Fulk (2018, p. 16).

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Northwest Germanic anew

Key Points

Abstract

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