How close is English to Scandinavian languages?

Many words of Scandinavian origin can be used in everyday conversations in English, with their total number amounting to as much as 5,000. Consequently, between 20 to 60 common English words of Old Norse origin can be used in a daily conversation.

Is Dutch close to English?

With the exception of Frisian, Dutch is linguistically the closest language to English, with both languages being part of the West Germanic linguistic family. These means many Dutch words are cognates with English (meaning they share the same linguistic roots), giving them similar spelling and pronunciation.

Is the English language relevant in Norway and Scandinavia Today?

We take a look at the role of the English language in Norway and Scandinavia today. Along with the Dutch, Scandinavians have the best non-native English skills in the world. That’s according to the ninth edition of the EF English Proficiency Index. Sweden, Norway and Denmark place second, third and fourth respectively.

How similar are the Scandinavian languages to English?

For example, the way verbs are conjugated in English is similar to Swedish, Norwegian and Danish, but very different from the Romance languages like Italian and Spanish that have their roots in Latin. Both English and the Scandinavian languages have lent each other many words over the years.

Is Danish similar to Norwegian and Swedish?

Danish and Norwegian are very similar, or indeed almost identical when it comes to vocabulary, but they sound very different from one another. Norwegian and Swedish are closer in terms of pronunciation, but the words differ. I like to think of the Scandinavian languages like three sisters.

Which countries have the best non-native English skills?

Along with the Dutch, Scandinavians have the best non-native English skills in the world. That’s according to the ninth edition of the EF English Proficiency Index. Sweden, Norway and Denmark place second, third and fourth respectively. Elsewhere in the Nordics, Finland place seventh.