PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

4-17-03

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Heidichdaags heeert mer efders ass die Zeide so annerscht sin ass wie sie Yaahre zerrick waare. Sell kann, nadierlich, gut sei odder schlect sei. Awwer mannichmol kennt mer denke ass in ee Hiesicht hot sich net viel verennert.

   Zum Beischpiel, der Buhneschtiehl (der Thomas H. Harter, 1854-1933) hot mol in seim Schtick "Was gebt's mit unsere Buwe" gschriwwe:

   "Was gebt's mit unsere Buwe?" hot mich en alder Freind gfroogt der anner Daag." Sie warre alle Yaahr schlechter, un wann's noch en Weil so fattmacht, geht alles zum Deiwel."

   Dann antwatt er sei eegni Froog: "Ich denk die gude Buwe sin all gschtarrewe wie sie yung waare. Ich hab ennihau in meim Lewe ken lewendicher gsehne."

   Un sell waar so um 1990 gschriwwe!

   Un der Mark Trumbore von Pennsburg hot aa mol viel Yaahre zerrich gschriwwe:

   Es waar mol en Familye do in unser Schteddel wu en Buh ghadde hen. Weil er's eensicht Kind waar, hen sie'n wennich verwehnt. Wie er en Beewi waar, hen sie gemeent er sott en Dokder odder so ebbes wie sell gewee. Wie er in die Schul gange iss, hen sie glei ausgfunne ass es Lanne ihm schwer gange iss.

   Wie der Buh vazeh waar, hen sie ihn aus der Schul genumme un hen ihn an die Aerwet geduh. Weil die Eldre gut aagsehne waare, hen sie ken Druwwel ghatt fer ihn nausduh fer en Handwarrick lanne. Nimmand hot ihn awwer lang ghalde, un er iss vun eem Handwarrick zum anner gange. Die Handwarricksleit hen behaabt er waer mied gebore un waer nix ass en Faulenser.

   Die Eldre hen sich gedruwwelt driwwwer un hen gedenkt es waer nau hoch Zeit fer schwetze middem Buh, " Nau, Willem," hot der Aalt aagfange, "du bischt nau siwwezeh Yaahr alt un du haldscht dich an nix. Was gebt's yuscht noch aus der? Du bischt nau an der Eld wu du Gedanke hawwe sottscht vun heire, awwer unne en Handwarrick wie witt en Familye ennehre? Denkscht net alsemol an so Sache?"

   "Yo, Paepp, ich hab schunn oft driwwer gedenkt. Awwer ich bin zu em Schludd kumme ass es gans un gaar net notwennich waer fer schaffe. Ich bin es eensicht Kind. Dihr schafft alle Daag zu zwett un schpaart eier Geld."

   "Ya, awwer was hot des zu duh mit…? Der Alt hot net faddich mache kenne, der Yung hot graad fattgschwetzt in eenre Roi.

   "Die Aent Mable iss leddich un schafft alle Daag un schpaart ihr Geld. Onkel Harry un sei Fraa hen ken Kinner un schpaare ihre Geld."

   "Un was hot des alles zu du mit dir?"

   "Well, ich muss eich all mol arrewe, un ich hab gemeent wann ich fimfe am Schaffe hett fer mich, waer es sei-ich vun mir fer Aerwet wecknemme vun eem wu's notwennich breicht."

   Ya, wie gsaat, in wenichdens ee Hiesicht hot sich net viel verennert.

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   These days you hear quite often that the times are so different from what they were years ago. That can, of course, be good or be bad. However, sometimes you could think that in one respect not much has changed.

   For example, Boonastiel (actually Thomas H. Harter, 1854-1933) once wrote in his piece "What's up with our boys":

   "What's up with our boys? An old friend asked me the other day. "They are getting every year worse, and if that continues for a while, everything is going to the devil."

   Then he answers his own question: "I think the good boys have all died when they were young. Anyhow, I have in my lifetime seen no live one (good boy)."

   And that was written so around 1900!

   And Mark Trumbore of Pennsburg also wrote many years ago:

   There was once a family here in our town who had a boy. Because he was an only child, they spoiled him a little. When he was a baby, they thought that he should be a doctor or something like that. When he went to school, they right away found out that getting educated was difficult for him.

   When the boy was 14, they took him out of school and put him to doing some work. Because the parents were quite respectable, they had no trouble putting him out to learn a craft/trade. But nobody kept him very long, and he went from one trade to another. The tradespeople maintained that he was born tired and was nothing but a loafer.

   The parents troubled themselves about this and thought that it was now high time to talk to the boy. "Now, William," the father (old man) began, "you are now 17 years old and you don't stick to anything. What will become of you? You are now at an age when you should have thoughts of marrying, but without a trade how do you expect to feed a family? Don't you sometimes think about such things?"

   "Yes, pop, I have often thought about it. But I came to the conclusion that it is entirely unnecessary to go to work. I am an only child. You work every day, the two of you, and you save your money."

   'Yes, but what has that got to do with…? The father couldn't finish, the youngster just kept talking continuously.

   "Aunt Mabel is single and works every day and saves her money. Uncle Harry and his wife have no children and they save their money."

   "And what does all of that have to do with you?"

   "Well, at some time I will be the heir to all of you, and I thought that if I had five people working for me, it would be piggish of me to take away work from someone who would be needful of it."

   Yes, as I was saying, in at least one aspect not much has changed.

Take Care,
The Old Professor

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