Here's the breakdown:
* Proto-Germanic: This is the common ancestor of English, German, and many other languages. It existed around 500 AD. So, in a sense, "Proto-Germanic" came first.
* Old English: This evolved from Proto-Germanic and emerged around 450 AD. It was heavily influenced by Old Norse, making it quite different from modern English.
* Old High German: This also evolved from Proto-Germanic around 750 AD. It's the predecessor to modern German.
So, which came first:
* If we're talking about the direct ancestors of English and German, Old English came first.
* However, if we're talking about the language families, Proto-Germanic is the earliest ancestor, and it came before both English and German.
To summarize:
* Proto-Germanic came first.
* Old English emerged before Old High German.
Ultimately, both English and German have complex histories, and their development is intertwined. They both have roots in the same Proto-Germanic language, but they have diverged significantly over time.