Here's a simplified breakdown of the language family tree:
* Proto-Indo-European is the ancestor of most European languages, including English.
* Proto-Germanic is the ancestor of all Germanic languages, including English.
* Proto-West Germanic is the ancestor of English and other West Germanic languages like German, Dutch, and Frisian.
So, while Proto-West Germanic is the direct ancestor of English, its lineage traces back even further to Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European.