PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

6-19-03

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Mer fange heit aa mit em paar Setz aussem Henry A. Schuler (Der Kallennermann, 1850-1908) seim Schtick fer der Yuni, 1905:

   "Wann mol der lengscht Daag kummt, iss es Graas ausgewaxe, un noh geht's ans Hoimache. 'S Hoimache iss freilich nimmi wie's fer alders waar. Do hen sie als es Graas mit der Sens gemeeht, un's hot alsemol drei, vier Woche genumme bis es Hoi all eigfaahre waar. 'S aerscht hen sie lauter deitsche Sense geyuust; noh hen sie als marrigeds un midaags ghockt un gedengelt, dass es en Luscht waar.

   "Mer iss als frieh naus, eb die Sunn uff waar, un hot als en gansi Schtunn gemeeht vor Breckfescht. Noch sellem hot mer widder gschafft bis neine, dann iss's Neinuhrschtick (!) nausgebrocht warre- Budderbrot, Reddich, Zwiwwle, alsemol aa Waffle un so Dinge."

   Was meent der Kallennermann wann er "der lengscht Daag" saagt? Der Kaschbar Hufnaggel (der Parre Pierce Swope, 1884-1968) kann uns sell auslege:

   "Yuscht vor der Hoiet waare die Hoibaare gans leer. Noh iss es Graas gemeeht warre, so um der lengscht Daag, der eenunzwansichscht Daag in Tschun. In paar Daag waar's Graas darr, noh hot mer's Hoi gheesse."

   Un was meent er wann er "deitscht Sense" saagt? Mer gehne mol zum Eli Keller (1825-1919) seim Gedicht "'S Meehe mit der deitsche Sens":

Wie endlich mol der Daag iss kumme-
Der lengscht waar schunn beschtimmt (in zwee Daag, gell?)
Hot yedes frieh sei Sens genumme
Un fastreet abgetrimmt.
   Glopp, glopp, glopp-
   Hinnerm Haus uff yedem Block;
   Glopp, glopp, glopp,
   Uff me schmaale odder breede Schtock;
   Was waar's en Geglebber,
   En Gschpautz un Gschnebber,
   Yedi deitschi Sens dengelt mer sich raus,
   Glopp, glopp, glopp,
   Vanne zum Schpitz bis gans hinnenaus.

   Un der Lee L. Grumbine (1858-1904) hot mol in seim Gedicht "Der Alt Dengelschtock" gschriwwe:
   Dihr faule Bengle,
   Macht eich ans Dengle,
Nooch em Friehschtick geht's ans Meehe.
   Un der Hammer, wie en Glock,
   Uff em Dengelschtock
Schpielt sei Leid-ich heer's noch heit.
   Un was bedeidt "dengle"? Un was bedeidt "Dengelschtock"? Neegscht Woch finne mer aus.

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   We will begin today with a couple of sentences from Henry A. Schuler's (The Almanac Man, 1850-1908) piece for June 1905:

"When once the longest day comes, the grass for haymaking is full-grown, and then haymaking is started. Haymaking is of course no longer what it was long ago in olden times. They used to mow the grass with the scythe, and it used to take three, four weeks till the hay was all driven to the barn (with haywagon and horses, of course). At first they used only German scythes; so they used to sit around in the mornings and noontimes and "dengled" with great pleasure.

   "We used to go out early before the sun was up, and we would mow a whole hour before breakfast. After that we worked again till nine o'clock, when the nine o'clock snack was brought our-buttered bread, radishes, onions and sometimes waffles and such things."

   What does the Almanac Man mean when he says "the longest day?" Kasper Hufnaggel (Pastor Pierce Swope, 1884-1968) can explain that to us:

   "Just before haying time the haymows were entirely empty. Then the g4rass was mowed, so around the longest day, the twenty-first day in June. In a few days the grass was dry, then they called it hay."

   And what does he mean when he says "German scythes?" Let's once go to Eli Keller's (1825-1910) poem "Mowing with the German Scythe":

When finally the day was come-
The longest one was already determined-
Early everyone took his scythe
And trimmed it off first rate.
   Klopp, klopp, klopp-
   Behind the house on every log;
   Klopp, klopp, klopp,
   On a narrow or broad anvil;
   What a clattering that was,
   A constant spitting and   chattering,
   Every German scythe is "dengelt" out,
   Klopp, klopp, klopp,
   From the point to all the way back.

   And Lee L. Grumbine (1858-1904) once wrote in his poem "The Old Scythe Anvil":
   You lazy fellows,
   Start in to "dengel,"
After breakfast we'll start in to mow.
   And the hammer, like a bell,
   On the scythe anvil
Plays its song-I hear it yet today.
   And what does "dengel" mean? And what does "Dengelstock" mean? Next week we will find out.

Take care,
The Old Professor

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