The East Germanic languages are a group of extinct Germanic languages that were spoken by East Germanic peoples. East Germanic is one of the three primary branches of the Germanic languages, alongside North Germanic and West Germanic.
Facts
Disputed
Proto-Language StatusEast Germanic is known through the directly attested Gothic language plus isolated word lists and short phrases for Vandalic, Burgundian and Crimean Gothic. A distinct Proto-East-Germanic stage is not separately named in general use, and inclusion of Burgundian in the branch has itself been questioned by some linguists. 1 Gothic is the only East Germanic language with substantial texts; Vandalic, Burgundian and Crimean Gothic survive only as isolated words or short phrases, and inclusion of Burgundian in the branch has itself been questioned. RegionOriginally Central and Eastern Europe as far as Crimea, later much of southern, western, southeastern and eastern Europe and North Africa; all East Germanic languages are now extinct. 1 Speaker Count Sources
1. Wikipedia: East Germanic languages
Wikimedia FoundationInfobox region field (period breakdown), English Wikipedia article East Germanic languages
Central and Eastern Europe (as far as Crimea)
Citation quoting Wolfram 1997, English Wikipedia article East Germanic languages
For a long time linguists considered the Burgundians to be an East Germanic people, but today they are no longer so sure.
Lead sentence, English Wikipedia article East Germanic languages
The East Germanic languages are a group of extinct Germanic languages that were spoken by East Germanic peoples.
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