Some scholars studying the Early Middle Ages now stress the question of whether the Germanic peoples saw themselves as an ethnic unity, while others point to the existence of Germanic languages as a historical fact that can be used to identify Germanic peoples, regardless of whether they saw themselves as "Germanic."
Para Sarjana taler wenten sane nelebang Abad Pertengahan ngawit mangkin katakenin napike krama-krama Hermanik puniki manggihang anggandane pinaka kesatuan etnis, nanging sane tiosan nyihnayang indik kawentenan basa Jermanik pinaka fakta sejarah sane prasida kawigunayang anggen nitenin krama-krama Jermanik, lempas saking napike dane manggihang anggandane sekadi jadma "Jerman."