[caption id="attachment_2238" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Isoliermaterialien= insulalation material"]
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Cognates (from Latin cognatus ‘born together’) are words or phrases that are related. They come naturally from the same root but developed in different directions and changed sometimes their meanings. These so called “False friends” cannot be eliminated with simple rules but merely by memorizing the translations. I introduce in no particular order some examples.
- German: streng = strict; Sein Vater war sehr streng. (His father was very strict.)
- English: strong = stark; Wir trinken gern starkes Bier. (We like to drink strong beer.)
- German: serioes = respectable, honest; Er ist ein serioeser Anwalt. (He is a respectable lawyer.)
- English: serious = ernst; Jetzt wird es ernst. (It's getting serious now.)
- German: isoliert = insulated; Das Haus ist gut isoliert. (The house is well insulated.)
- English: isolate = absondern, sich isolieren; Sie sondern sich von der Gruppe ab. (They are isolating themselves from the group.)
