Here's a breakdown:
* Grimm's Law describes a systematic change in pronunciation that occurred in Proto-Germanic, the ancestor of all Germanic languages. This shift affected how certain consonants were pronounced.
* Example: The Proto-Indo-European word for "foot" was *ped-*. In most Indo-European languages, this evolved into something like "ped" or "pod". However, in Germanic languages, due to Grimm's Law, it evolved into "fot" (English "foot").
This sound shift resulted in distinct consonant pronunciations in Germanic languages compared to other Indo-European families. This is just one of many differences, but it's a fundamental one that helps define the Germanic branch.
Here are some other key differences:
* Verb conjugation: Germanic languages tend to have simpler verb conjugation systems than other Indo-European languages.
* Word order: Germanic languages generally have a more flexible word order than other Indo-European languages, often placing the verb at the end of the sentence.
* Vocabulary: Germanic languages have borrowed words from other languages, including Latin, Greek, and French, but they also have a core vocabulary that reflects their unique history.
Remember, these are just a few key differences. There are many other aspects that differentiate Germanic languages from other Indo-European languages.