#  Indo-European 

 



 ![Indo European](/sites/g/files/omnuum3471/files/cb45/files/indo_european.jpg)

 

Sort[KEYTERMS ](/pages/indo-european-keyterms "Indo-European Key Terms")

A set of key terms for the study of Indo-European languages.

[LANGUAGE MAPS](https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/filesfiles/mapexercise-publication_0.pdf)

This exercise concerns the geographic spread of Indo-European languages. [Print out the four pages in this PDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum3471/files/cb45/files/mapexercise-publication.pdf "mapexercise-publication.pdf"), and follow the instructions on the first page. Bring the completed exercises to your next section.

[GENETIC RELATIONS](/sites/g/files/omnuum3471/files/cb45/files/ie_language_families.pdf "ie_language_families.pdf")

How can we represent the relations among Indo-European languages? A family tree is the most common way, but this exercise asks you to arrange them in different way. (Do exercise 4.7; you can omit 4.8.)

[COGNATE WORDS](/sites/g/files/omnuum3471/files/cb45/files/ie_languages_exercise.pdf "ie_languages_exercise.pdf")

By investigating cognate words, this exercise reveals connections across Indo-European languages and families of languages. Instructions for the exercise are included in the PDF. Print the file, write out your answers, and bring the completed worksheet and your answers to lecture and section.

NERDING OUT  
[LISTEN!](/listen "LISTEN! ")

Two audio clips: the first by an expert reciting an invented story in reconstructed Indo-European; the second gives you today's news in classical Latin.

[INDO-EUROPEAN TO GERMANIC](https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/142963/quizzes/389946)

An online series of questions on the differences between Germanic and other Indo-European languages. Before answering these questions, be sure to read and review "The Background of English" assigned for this week.

[GRIMM'S LAW VIDEO](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD9599EA09EEAE442)

With self-ironizing language-geek humor, this sequence of three videos walks you through the history of Grimm's Law and Verner's Law.

[GRIMM'S LAW FLASH PLAYER](/grimm-player "Grimm Player")

A multimedia review of the consonant changes known as Grimm's Law and Verner's Law. Be sure to review lecture notes, "Grimm's Law Video" (above), and the chapter "The Background of English" assigned for this week.

[GRIMM EXERCISES](/pages/grimm-exercises "Exercises for Grimm’s Law and Verner’s Law")

This exercise asks you to fill in a table showing how stop consonants changed in going from proto-Indo-European to Germanic words and, eventually, to Modern English.

NERDING OUT  
[GERMANIC SAMPLES](/sites/g/files/omnuum3471/files/cb45/files/sowerparable_0.pdf "sowerparable.pdf")

Explore and compare four short excerpts of the biblical Parable of the Sower in four different early Germanic languages.

NERDING OUT  
[5000 LANGUAGES](http://www.zompist.com/numbers.shtml)

Scroll through [The Numbers List](http://www.zompist.com/numbers.shtml) website and observe many many languages from around the world. Most are not Indo-European. How many are familiar to you? How many are entirely new?





Note: for any exercise that asks you to write out something, bring your written work to section.