Ihr liewe
Leit:
Ich hab en Froog fer eich gude Leser; muss mer en hochgelannder PD
Schreiwer sei wann mer Schticker schreiwe will ass ken odder wennich Englisch
drin hen? Der David B. Brunner (1835-1903) waar en hochgelannder Mann. Vun
1852 bis 1856 waar en an der Dickinson College, waar mol Subertendent vun
Barricks Kaundi Schule un mol Subertendent vun Reddin Schule, un waar sogaar
mol in Kangress.
Hot er Deitsch schreiwe kenne ass net viel Englisch drin ghatt hot?
Loss uns mol sehne:
Oh, wann ich yuscht en Bauer wear,
Un hett en gut Schtick Land,
Dann hett ich aa mei Seck voll Geld,
Un aa noch in der Hand.
Der Bauer iss sei eegner Baas,
Er iss en freier Mann,
Er dutt gewehnlich wie er will,
Un ich duh wie ich kann.
Im Friehyaahr seeht er’s Hawwerfeld,
Un blanst, aafangs im Moi,
Grummbiere, Welschkann, un so Sach;
Im Yuni macht er Hoi.
Der Bauer schafft im Summer hatt,
In Hoiet, Aern un Seehe;
Un bloogt sich arrig in der Sunn,
Muss schwitze viel im Meehe.
Im Schpotyaahr bascht er’s Welschkann als,
Un schebbt’s uff mit der Schibb;
Es Laab dutt er uff lange Schteck,
Die Kolwe in die Gribb.
Er sammelt alles fer der Winder,
Die Riewe un die Greider,
Un dutt die Ebbel in der Keller
Un macht sich paar Baerl Seider.
Sei letschdi Aerwet in dem Yaahr
(Nooch sellem hot er weil Ruh)
Iss Weeze, Kann un Hawwer dresche
Un in die Kammer duh.
Nau kummt sei beschdi Zeit im Yaahr:
Die Scheier un es Haus
Voll Lewesmiddel aller Satt,
Un wennich Aerwet draus.
Yuscht denk mol draa: vier Munet lang
Die Aerwet uffzuhenke,
Except die Hinkel, Kieh un Sei
Zu fiedre un zu drenke.
Baas, Baerl Seider, except sin
englische Wadde. Die aerschde drei Wadde sehnt mer fascht immer in PD
Lidderadur. (Ya, ich weess, der Brunner hett PD Fass benutze kenne, awwer wie
gsaat, Baerl sehnt mer viel efders.) Fer E “except” hett der Brunner PD ausser
benutze kenne, awwer dann waer der Takt gans letz.
Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer
|
Dear people:
I have a question for you good readers; does one have to be a highly
educated PG writer if one wants to write pieces that have no or very
little English in them? David B. Brunner (1835-1903) was an educated man.
From 1852 to 1856 he was at Dickinson College, was once superintendent of
Berks County schools and superintendent of Reading schools, and was even
once in Congress.
Could he write Pennsylvania German that didn’t have much English in
it? Let’s see once:
Oh, if only were a farmer,
And had a good piece of land,
Then I’d have my pockets full of money
And also some in hand.
The farmer is his own boss,
He is a free man,
He usually does as he wants,
And I do as I can.
In Spring he sows the oat field
And plants, at the beginning of May,
Potatoes, corn and such stuff;
In June he makes hay.
The farmer works hard in Summer,
In haying, harvest and sowing;
And torments himself in the sun.
Has to sweat a lot while mowing.
In Fall he husks corn,
And shovels it up with the shovel;
He puts the stalks in long stacks,
Puts the ears in the crib.
He gathers everything for the winter,
The beets and the herbs,
And puts the apples into the cellar
And makes himself a few barrels of cider.
His last piece of work in the year
(After that he can rest for a while)
Is threshing wheat, rye and oats
And putting them into bins.
Now comes his best time of the year:
The barn and house
Full of food of all kinds,
And little work outside.
Just thing about it: for four months
To hang up (put aside) work,
Except the chickens, cows and pigs
To feed and give water.
Baas, Baerl Seider, except are English words. The firs three words one
sees almost always in PG literature. (Yes, I know, Brunner could have used
PG Fass, but as we were saying, one sees Baerl much more often.) For E
“except” Burnner could have used PG ausser, but then the rhythm/meter
would have been all wrong.
Take care,
The old Professor |
