PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

September 02, 2004

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Heit mache mer weider mit der Mrs. Groh ihrem Gedicht. Wie ihr schunn wisst, suche mer englische Wadde.

Mer hen gemeent mer wisse vun
Fascht alle Sadde Keffer
Was do rum sinn, un glaabscht’s du mir’s?
‘S gebt yetz en nei Geziffer!
   Du kannscht mit hunnert dausend Sach
   Browiere sie verdreiwe;
   Sie kumme immer dicker zrick,
   Un hen im Sinn zu bleiwe.
Guck yuschtemol die scheen Kasche,
Die mache uns gans hungrich;
Yuscht wann du ennichi hawwe witt,
Noh musscht du sie waahrhafdich
   Abzobbe wann sie noch halb grie
   Un sauer sin fer Pai;
   Die Veggel draage alles fatt;
   ‘S iss eem net eenerlei.
Dennoh hot’s so hadde Winder
Un druckne Summer gewwe;
Un alsfatt sin die Beem druffgschnappt;
‘S sin yuscht en paar was lewe.
   Un wann du denkscht der Bauer hot
   Im Windr nix zuduh,
   Noh kumm mol raus un bring dei Ax
   Un aa dei waarme Schuh.
Es Hols muss zamme gsammelt waare,
‘S muss gseegt un gschpalde sei;
Un noh gedrickelt un neigfaahre,
Schunnscht gebt’s kee Weck un Pai.
   Un’s Fleesch kummt aa net selwer bei
   Ins Haus un uff der Disch;
   Es nemmt en paar recht schmaerde Leit,
   So wie der Bauer iss.
Ya, well, mer dutt’s Bescht was mer kann,
Un kummscht net ee Weg raus,
Noh geht’s en annerer, un mir sin
Noch weit vum Aarmehaus.

   Well (sell iss englisch, gell), was habt ihr gude Leser vun englische Wadde gfunne?

   Baas? Ya, awwer ihr wisst ass der Brunner sell Watt’s aescht benutzt hot. Hette die zwee Meeschder benutze sedde? Awwer Baas un Meeschder sin net immer gleich, un nadierlich waer der Takt gans letz wann sie Meeschder benutzt hette.

   Pai? Ya, nadierlich, Pai iss englisch “pie” (deel Deitsche saage Boi, wie ihr wisst), awwer was fer en Watt benutze Deitsche wann sie net Pai/Boi saage??? Un vergesst net, die Grohsin hot Pai mit dem Watt eenerlei reime misse!

   Schur? Ya, awwer sicher hett widder der letz Takt, un fer viel Deitsche meent sicher ebbes schunnscht.

   Schmaert? Ya, awwer en gans gewehnliches Watt unner de Deitsche. Die Waahret iss ass die vier englische Wadde – ya, alle viere – viel meh benutzt warre ass wie ihre deitsche Iwwersetzinge!

   ‘S iss waahr: wann mer vun deitsche Dinger schwetzt, muss mer net viel englische Wadde benutze. Un sell iss waahr wann mer hochgelant iss odder net!

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

Today we will continue with Mrs. Groh’s poem. As you already know, we are looking for English words.

We thought that we know about
Almost all sorts of bugs
That are around here, and do you believe me?
There is now a new kind of insect!
   You can try with a hundred thousand things
   To drive them out;
   They come back ever thicker,
   And have in mind to stay.
Just look at those nice cherries,
They make us very hungry;
Just when you want to have some,
You then truly have to
   Pick them when they are still half green
   And are sour for pie;
   The birds carry everything away;
   It’s not all the same to you.
Then there were such hard winters
And dry summers;
And the trees kept on dying;
There a just a few still alive.
   And if you think the farmer has nothing
   To do in winter,
   Then come out once and bring your axe
   And also your warm shoes.
The wood has to be gathered together,
It has to be sawn and split;
Or else there’ll be no rolls and pie.
   And meat doesn’t come along by itself
   Into the house and onto the table;
   It takes a few right smart people
   Such as the farmer is.
Yes, well, one does the best he can
And if you don’t make it one way,
Then it works another way, and we are
Still far from the poor house.

   Well, (that’s English, right?) wad did you good readers find of the English words?

   “Boss”? Yes, but you know that Brunner used that word first. Should the two of them have used “Master”? But “boss” and “master” are not always the same and naturally the beat/meter would be all wrong if they had used “master”.

   “Pie”? Yes, naturally, that’s English, a popular loan word. But what word do PGs used when they don’t say “pie”??? And don’t forget, Mrs. Groh used “pie” to rhyme with the last word of the last line of that stanza.

   “Sure”? Yes, but the German word would have the strong beat, and the German word sicher means something else to many Germans.

   “Smart”? Yes, but a very common word among the PGs. The truth of the matter is that the four words –yes, all four—are used much more that their PG translations!

   It’s true: when you talk about PG things, you don’t have to use many English words. And that is true whether you are educated or not!

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf