Languages extremely similar to each other (vs, place, Portuguese)
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Thai and Lao are very similar and somewhat mutually intelligible. Lao is a Tai language and there's over 20 million Lao speakers in Thailand. Some of the Tai languages that are spoken in southern China, like Zhuang are also partially intelligible to Thais.
Two other very similar languages that surprises people, are Malagasy from Madagascar and Indonesian.
Two other very similar languages that surprises people, are Malagasy from Madagascar and Indonesian.
It is intriguing that the first settlers of Madagascar were mostly or just Indonesians. You'd think they'd be Africans, but last I read the Africans mostly came later and apparently don't amount to much language wise. They seem to be most like languages of Borneo, particularly the Ma'anyan language.
It is intriguing that the first settlers of Madagascar were mostly or just Indonesians. You'd think they'd be Africans, but last I read the Africans mostly came later and apparently don't amount to much language wise. They seem to be most like languages of Borneo, particularly the Ma'anyan language.
Yeh, the peopling of Madagascar is fascinating. I honestly knew nothing about the people of Madagascar until the movie came out and while doing a search, I stumbled on a picture of Malagasy people. I was shocked to see that many of them looked southeast Asian. Since then, I've had an interest in Madagascar.
Genetic studies have shown that the population is roughly split 50/50 between African ancestry and Indonesian ancestry, but the diversity of the African lineages is very small compared to the Indonesian ancestry, which seems to show that the intitial African settlers were probably only a small group and have since grown in population size. This is most likely the reason that they didn't contribute much in the way of language.
Sorry but a native Italian can not understand Romanian except some words.
The sound is not Italian at all to me, more like a Slavic language, but most words have latin origin. Culturally they have nothing in common with Italy. It's really an eastern european country.
Sorry but a native Italian can not understand Romanian except some words.
The sound is not Italian at all to me, more like a Slavic language, but most words have latin origin. Culturally they have nothing in common with Italy. It's really an eastern european country.
I hear both Italian and Slavic languages in Romanian. I know that some words they use are even similar, or the exact same as Spanish--like 'casa' for house. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I hear both Italian and Slavic languages in Romanian. I know that some words they use are even similar, or the exact same as Spanish--like 'casa' for house. Correct me if I'm wrong.
True, even more words. But when you listen to Romanian, it doesn't sound like Spanish or Italian, at all. It's latin-based, but has absorbed so many Eastern european (as well as Turkish and Greek) influences, and had a different evolution compared to spanish or Italian.
When I'm in Italy, I speak Spanish and most people understand me. If I speak Spanish in romania, people (except the ones that have been living in spain) will stare at you, "what is he saying"?
Culturally, Romania is another world compared to Spain or Italy.
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