PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

4-13-00

Ihr liewe Leit:

Yuscht noch ebaut zehe Daag un dann feiere mer die Oschdere. Loss uns heit mol widder eens vum Parre Richard Druckenbrod seim Schreiwes lese:
   "Mer brauch net hatt gucke fer sehne was die menschde Leit in ihre Gedanke henn wann sie vun de Oschdere denke. Iwweraalich in de Zeidinge un uff em Guckbax sehnt mer schier nix ass wie Haase, Oier, Biebelcher, gleene Ende, un so weider. Mer muss wunnere was die Sache mit de Oschdere warricklich zu duh henn! Un mer froogt nooch wu der Naame 'Oschder' selwert beikummt. Fer die Waahret zu saage, henn die Sache gans un gaarli nix mit dem Grischdendum zu duh.

   "Wu kumme sie dann awwer haer? Sie kumme vun der uralde Zeit haer vordem ass es en Grischdendum gewwe hot. Zu unsere heidische Voreldre waare die Sache Zeiche vun Nadur wu sie widder zum Lewe kummt im Friehyaahr. Des waare un sin die Sache ass sich vermehre im Friehyaahr. Sie waare Zeiche vun der Fruchtbaarkeit in der Nadur ass die Leit verehrt henn.

   "Es Watt 'Oschder' hot aa in sich selwert nix mit dem grischdendum zu duh. Mer dreffe's Watt aa im Angelsechsische watt 'Eastre,' un sell geht weit in die Vergangeheit zerrick zu de Babyloner zu der Geddin 'Ischtar.'

   "Awwer ich denk's dutt nimmand Schaade fer die Haase un Oier zu hawwe … so lang ass mer wisse ass die Ursach ass mir die Oschdere feiere iss ass unser Herr un Heiland der Yesus Grischdus vun de Dode uffgschtanne iss!"

   Em Ralph Charles Wood sei "The Four Gospels Translated in the Pennsylvania German Dialect" kann mer im Yaahrbuch I (1968) vun der Pennsylvaanisch Deitsch Gesellschaft finne. Do iss sei Iwwersetzing aus griechische un ladeinische Texte vun Markus 16: 1-7.

   "1.Un noochdem ass der Sabaat verbei waar, hen Maria Magdalena, un Maria, em Yakobus un der Salome ihre Mudder, Greider kaaft fer en im Graab schee zu mache. 2. Un sie sin am aerschde Daag vun der Woch zum Graab kumme, wie die Sunn uffgange iss. 3. Un sie hen zu ennannergsaat: 'Waer dutt der Schtee weck vun der Dier vum Graab fer uns?'

   "4. Un sie hen geguckt un hen gsehne ass eenich-ebber der Schtee weckgerollt hot, ass doch arrig grooss waar. 5. Un sie sin ins Graab nei gange un hen en yunger Mann datt rechts sitze sehne, ass en langes weisses Gleed gewore hot, un sie waare verschrocke.

   "6. Awwer er hot ihne gsaat: 'Habt ken Bang. Ihr sucht Yesus vun Nazareth ass sie gegreizicht hen. Er iss widder uffgschtanne, er iss net do. Sehnt, do iss der Blatz wu sie ihn hiegelegt hen."

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   Just about 10 days more and then we will be celebrating Easter. Let us once again read one of Pastor Druckenbrod's writings:

   "One doesn't have to look hard to see what most people have in their thoughts when they think about Easter (a plural noun in PG). Everywhere in the newspapers and on television one sees almost nothing but rabbits, eggs, peeps, little ducks and so forth. One has to wonder what these things actually have to do with Easter! And one inquires whence the name 'Easter' itself comes from. To tell the truth, these things have nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity.

"But where do they come from? They come from the prehistoric time when there was no Christianity. To our heathen forbears these things were symbols of nature when it again comes to life in the Spring. These were and are the things that multiply in the spring. They were signs of fertility in nature that the people worshipped.

   "The word 'Easter' has itself nothing to do with Christianity. We meet the word also in the Anglo-Saxon word "Eastre," and that goes far back into the past to the Babylonians, to the goddess, 'Ishtar.'

   "But I think it will harm no one to have rabbits and eggs … so long as we know that the reason we celebrate Easter is that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ arose from the dead!"

   Ralph Charles Wood's "The Four Gospels Translated in the Pennsylvania German Dialect" can be found in the first Yearbook (Volume 1, 1968) of the Pennsylvania German Society. Here is Wood's translation from the Greek and Latin texts of Mark 16:1-6.

   "1. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Salome bought herbs to make Him up nice in the grave. 2. And they came to the grave on the first day of the week, as the sun was rising. 3. And they said to each other: 'Who will take the stone away for us from in front of the grave?'

   "4. And they looked and saw that someone had rolled the stone away, which however was very large. 5. And they went into the grave and saw a young man sitting to the right, who had on a long white garment, and they were frightened.

   "6. But he said to them: 'Don't be afraid. You are seeking Jesus of Nazareth whom they have crucified. He has arisen again, He is not Here. Look, here is the place where they had laid Him down."

Take Care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf