If Anglo-Saxons came from Schleswig-Holstein, would not then the English be actually German?

Answer 1

No.

"Anglo-Saxon" as a name already shows the mixing that was going on what would become "England". The Angles and the Saxons were separate tribes who came over from the European mainland around the same time, along with the Jutes. The Angles came first, at the invitation of Vortigern, in 449.

The Jutes were from Jutland, in modern Denmark, along the Frisian coast.
The Angles were from Schleswig in what is modern Germany.
The Saxons, judging from the writings of Tacitus, Ptomoly & Bede, moved around quite a bit within the territory that we now call Germany and Holland.

When members of these tribes came to the island of of Britian, there did not and were not considered "German" at home.

Likewise, the fact that large numbers of the Belgae tribe migrated to Britain does not make the English actually Belgian.

And, as other have noted, "English" is also influenced by the pre-celtic peoples (probably related to the Basque), the Picts, all the various p-Celtic and q-Celtic tribes, the Romans, the "Jutes, Angles & Saxon" (to quote Bede), the Norsemen (or "Danes"; generally called [incorrectly] the "Vikings" today [note: "Viking" is an activity, like piracy, not a people-group]), and the Normans (who were related to the Norse, but spoke French).

This is why English is such a complicated language grammatically and to spell. There are essentially three linguistic bases laid on top of each other: Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon & Norman French. Within each root system, the rules are consistent; they only *look* inconsistent to those who fail to see or understand the basis.

On a more basic level, this is why we call it a "cow" in the field and a "beef" on the table (Saxon root for "cow"; Norman root for "beef"). German doesn't do things like that.

Answer 2

There was no such nation as 'German' in those days. However, the Angles were a Germanic race and English is a Germanic language. However, sincee Anglo Saxon times England has been invaded by the Romans, Norse, Normans etc. Furthermore, various waves of immigrants to this country over the centuries have very much contributed to the fact that the English are, basically a mongrel race; little or nothi ng remains of our Anglo Saxon heritage.

Answer 3

Teutonic, yes. German, no! The immigrant Anglo-Saxons came from further afield than just Schleswig-Holstein. The Jutes, for example, derived essentially from Jutland. The Teutonic invasions drove the earlier Celts into the western fringes of the country but, as times became more settled, the Celts intermarried along their borders and filtered eastwards. Meanwhile, vast numbers of Scandinavians were pouring into the east, further diluting the AS lines. Don't let anyone persuade you that the English are a mongrel race. They derive from Celts, AS and Scandinavians but that is fewer blood lines than most continental countries in the same epoch!

Answer 4

1)Germans as other today Europe people didn't exist yet in this age.

Many Teutonic (Germanic) tribes existed. Anglo-Saxons were one among them (their tongue was very similar to teutonic dialect which today frisonian derives from).

Therefore you can not say "Anglo-Saxons were German (as modern people), as you can not say "Frenchs are Italians, because Frenchs derive from old Romans (actually Italians and Frenchs share a common cultural roman origin)".

2) English culture birth backdated to the Norman conquest. Anglo-Saxons were ruled by a french speaking élite. French was the official language. English is classified as (Western) Germanic (not German!) language, but many (most) words in english language have a french origin.
Normans created many laws and institutions that distiguish english language countries (anglosax civilisation) from continental europe peoples.

Answer 5

Yes, the connection between England and Germany has been long and very durable. Prince Albert and indeed Queen Victoria used German as a common language and Prince Albert's favorite expression was "Ich haben ein plannen"...I have a plan....The actual migration of people is hard to track because of both wars, slavery and such but it is thought that during the paleolithic ages, that men migrated across the land bridge that connected England to the mainland of France and Spain and those people came from the the Aryan stock which came from???

Answer 6

Some, in part. However, you must remember that England was also inhabited by the Celtic people beofre the Angles, Saxons, Normans, Juttes and the like came there so while amny in England may have such ancestry, it is so far back that the individual may not be aware of it, it is not a connection that they really give much thought to.

Answer 7

Well, no, because the Anglo-Saxons weren't German ... they were Angles and Saxons.

I don't mean that facetiously - they came over to Britain 1500 years ago, and mixed with other peoples who were already here ... then they mixed with the Normans who came later. Then their language and culture evolved separately from all those others who later became "Germans" ... so we English aren't "German", in the same way that the original Angles and Saxons were not the same as modern Germans, because of the way their language and culture (and DNA) changed.

Answer 8

The English race are a mixture of German Italian,Dutch, Danish,Swedish, and a few other minor races as are most Europions

Answer 9

If only the Angles came that might be true, but the angles were a mixed race too. The English, much like all races is a race create from immigrants, raiders, traders and other aliens.

Answer 10

we are a mongrol nation
the original britons did not all die off
the celts, picts, norsemen were around
when the romans turned up twice
all sorts came over then
frisians and anglo sax came along with other tribes and
then the vikings took over most of england and scotland
but the 'people' went on
after that the normans changed things quite a lot
but saxons survived and all were amalgamated
to eventually form us orrible lot the british