PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

2-19-04

Ihr liewe Leit:

   'S iss Winder, sell iss gewiss. Was hen die deitsche Bauere im Winder geduh? Net viel im Feld, des iss aa gewiss. Awwer schiergaar alle Bauere hen gschlacht - odder gebutschert, wie viele Deitsche es gheesse hen.

Der John Birmelin hot es deitsch Watt benutzt:

Ei, was greische doch die Sei
Driwwe uff der Bauerei;
Do watt gschlacht!
Heng die Sau am Heesehols,
Wass iss der Bauer doch so schtols:
Dann gebt's gudi Wascht zu brode.
Pannhaas, der iss gut gerode;
Schunkefleesch un Seideschpeck,
Gude Sache darrichweck.
Alles vun der Sau gemacht,
Wann der Bauer schlacht.

   Awwer der Gottlieb Buhneschtiehl (eegentlich der Thomas Hess Harter) hot's englisch Watt geyuust:

   "Ball kummt die Butscherzeit un dennoh gebt's Metzelsupp un Brodwascht. Meinscht du noch ass sell eens vun de groose Daage waar uff der Bauerei bei uns Buwe? Kannscht du dich noch errinnere wie seller Daag als kumme iss, wie mi runs als gfreeht hen fer die Sei fange un sehne es Bief schiesse?

   "Lang fer Daag marrigeds iss als der Daad uffgschtanne un's Feier unnich em Kessel gschtaert fer die Sei briehe. Eens noch em annere sin die Nochbere beikumme mit alde blechne Laddanne. Wie's emol hell genuck warre iss fer sehne, iss es ans Seischiesse gange. Gewehnlich als nein zu zehe groose, fedde Sei hot's gekoscht.

   "Ebaut zehe Uhr sin mer nausgschickt warre fer's Bief aus em Schtall dreiwe fer dodmache. Was iss als under Hatz gschumpt bis es gegracht hot un er iss umgebatzelt. Eb Middaag hot die Choppermaschien aafange glebbere, un es Waschtfillsel iss aafange in der Zuwwer rolle. Es Fleesch fer die Lewwerwascht hot im Kessel gekocht, un was hen mer doch als Seiniere gesse!

   "Im Nammidaag, ebaut vier Uhr, iss Waschtschtobbe aagange, un sell hen mer als ebaut es menscht entschoit vun alles, awwer ebaut selli Zeit hot's gheesse, 'Buwe, geht un dutt eier Fiederes.'

   "Mer hen net gewaardt fer es zwett Mol gheesse warre, un hen net lang gemault wie die Buwe duhne heitzedaags."

   Mer miss fer heit Schluss mache, awwer mer lese weider neegscht Woch.

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   It's winter, that is certain. What did the PG farmers do in winter? Not much in the fields, that is also certain. But almost all farmers slaughtered - or butchered (E loan word), as many PGs called it.

John Birmelin used the PG word:

Oh, how the pigs are screaming
Over at the farm;
They're butchering!
Hand the sow on the gambrel,
How proud the farmer is;
Then there'll be good sausage to fry.
Scrapple, now that is well advised;
Ham and bacon,
Good things throughout.
Everything made from the pig
When the farmer slaughters.

But Gottlieb Boonastiel (actually Thomas Hess Harter) used the English word:

   "Soon comes the time for butchering and then there'll be gifts made up of the results of butchering and sausage. Do you still remember that that was one of the big days on the farm with us boys? Can you still remember that when that day used to come how we used to look forward to catching the pigs and seeing the beef cattle shot?

   "Long before day in the morning Dad used to get up and start the fire under the kettle to scald the pigs. One after the other the neighbors came by with old, tin lanterns. When it finally was light enough to see, they started to shoot the pigs. There were usually nine to 10 big fat pigs.

   "About 10 o'clock we were sent out to drive the beef out of the barn stable to kill it. How our hearts used to jump till there was a bang and it fell over. Before midday the meat chopper began to clatter, and the sausage meat began to fall into the vat. The meat for the liverwurst was cooking in the kettle, and how we used to eat pig kidneys!

   "In the afternoon, about four o'clock, we started in to stuff sausage, and we enjoyed that about the most of all, but about at that time we were told "Boys, go and do your feeding.'

   "We didn't wait to be told a second time, and grumble/sass back the way the boys do these days."

   We will have to stop for today, but we will continue to read about butchering next week.

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf