Ihr liewe Leit:
Do sin Linye vum Lloyd A. Moll (1879-1944) seim Gedicht "Unser
Mudderschprooch":
Wer sei Mudderschprooch veracht,
Der sott verschtosse sei.
Is ser noch so dumm un lacht,
Macht sich en Rilps debei.
Der Joseph H. Light (sei Feddernaame waar Der
Alt Schulmeeschder, 1849-1901) kann uns genaa auslege was der Moll im Sinn
ghatt hot. In 1897 hot er gschriwwe:
Ich will eich saage was mich gaar schtanns versucht. Sell iss wann
ich Leit aadreff ass deitsche Eldre hen un welle aalosse ass sie die deitsch
Schprooch gaar net verschteh kenne. Es gebt net viel bun denne Satt, awwer mer
finnt hie un do so'n Mannskall odder Weibsmensch, un sie wisse net wie dumm un
aafeldich ass sie sich aaschicke wann sie browiere die Leit zu fuule uff
seller Point.
Dann un wann drefft mer eener aa ass ausre deitscht Gegend kummt,
un wann mer Deitsch schwetze willmit ihne, dann schtehne sie so dumm hie,
duhne ihre Meiler zammeschrauwe ass wann sie griene Schparwele gekaut hedde,
un duhne die Aage im Kopp rumrolle ass wie'n gschtochne Kalb. Sie meene sie
waere so feischt-Englisch wie Kaafneetz, un dann saage sie: "Oh, I cannot
verschteh Cherman. I woss Inslich, you know. You mosst not schwetz Deitsch zu
me. I am too hoch eddicated for such Dutschmans watt you be ones."
Ich weess die Zeit noch gut wu alle Mann un Fraa, Bu un Meddel, all
pleen Pennsilvaanisch Deitsch gschwetzt hen. Awwer in de letschde Yaahre denke
etliche ass weil sie in die Hochschul gange sin im Schteddel, meene sie es
waer schmaert wann sie aalosse ass sie's Deitsch gaar net schwetze odder
verschteh kennde.
Mer hen abbaddich so'n yung Baerschtli ass do rumschpringt wie'n
verbutzt Millichseili; daer meent er waer ebbes besunners weil er net Deitsch
schwetzt un sei aafeldichi mammi saagt als: "Kumm mol haer, Tschecki, un
verzeehl mol unserm Nochber was du lannscht in der Schul."
"Me do not underveschtood you, Mudder. If you wants to schpuck mit
me, don't talk on me mit you Dutch. But I dinks you means wot I schtudy in der
school. I haf already schtudy der grammarnickel, geografferty, rismatix,
algebralter, un schpell some high words."
Zerrich zum Moll:
Schemm dich net mit deinre Zung,
Un mach's der Welt bekannt
Mit deim Watt zu Alt un Yung,
Des iss you gaar ken Schannt!
Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer
|
Dear people:
Here are lines form Lloyd A Moll's (1879-1944) poem "Our Mother Tongue:"
Whoever despises his mother tongue,
He should be rejected/disowned.
If he is still so stupid and laughs,
He'll thereby prove to be a lout.
Joseph H. Light (his pen name was "The Old Schoolmaster,"
1849-1901) can explain to us exactly what Moll had in mind. In 1897 he
wrote:
I want to tell you what makes me dog-gone angry. That is when I
meet people who have Pennsylvania German parents and want to pretend that
they cannot understand "Dutch" at all. There are not many of that kind,
but one finds now and then such a man or a woman, and they don't know how
stupidly and contrarily they behave when they try to fool the people on
that point.
Now and then one meets someone who is from a PG area, and if one
wants to speak PG with them, then they stand there so stupidly, screw up
their mouths as if they had chewed green persimmons, and roll their eyes
around in their heads like a stuck calf. They think that they are as
English as store-bought thread, and then they say: "Oh, I cannot verschteh
(understand) Tchermen. I was Inslich, you know. You mosst not schwetz
(talk) Dutch zu (to) me. I am too hoch (high) eddicated for such Dutchmans
watt you be ones."
I know the time still well when every man and woman, boy and girl,
all spoke plain Pennsylvania German. But in the last few years some of
them think that because they went to high school in town, they think it
would be smart if they pretend that they cannot talk or understand PG at
all.
We have especially such a young dandy who runs around here like a
stunted piglet; he imagines that he is something special because he
doesn't speak PG, and his contrary mother sometimes says, "Come here once,
Jakey, and tell our neighbor once what you learn in the school."
"Me do not underferschtood you, Mudder. If you wants to schpuck
(speak) mit me, don't talk on me mit you Dutch. But I dinks you mean what
I schtudy in der school. I haf already schtudy the grammarnickel,
geagrafferty, rismatix, algerbralter, and schpell some high words."
Back to Moll:
Don't be ashamed of your tongue,
And let the world know
With you word to old and young,
It is no shame at all!
Take care,
The Old Professor
|
