PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

5-18-00

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Die Daage warre lenger un weermer, un mer kann die Kinner schpiele here sogaar noch em Nachtesse. Awwer schpiele sie noch die alde Schpiele wu mer im Buch Horne's Pennsylvania German Manuel devun lese kann? In seim Buch hot der Abraham R. Horne (1834-1902) mol gschriwwe:

   "In der Schul waar's als Eckballe, Paeddelballe Drilleballe, Schutz, Aldi Loos, un deelmols, wann's Schulhaus am Busch waar, als Hasch, weil die Meed als Ring, Blovoggel, Weigaarde un Brickbaue gschpielt hen. Deheem hen sie als Schteckele, Blumsack, blindmeisli, Feikmiehl, Greizmiehl, Ringmiehl, Katzekop, Gensfuuss, Tschaek, un noch viel annere Geems gschpielt. Sie hen als Scheelmaetsche Gwiltins, Schtrippmaetsche ghatt; noh hen sie als Paerti Lieder gschpielt un deelmols gedanst.

   "Fer Eckballe waare vier Ecke, un eener uff yedem Eck, un en Latt in der Schtubb; noh hen die uff de Ecke die in der Schtubb als gschmisse. Paeddelballe iss gschpielt warre viel wie unser Beesballe, yuscht mit me weesche Balle. Fer Drilleballe waar yuscht eener ass vun eem Eck uffs anner gschprunge iss, un wann er uffem Eck waar hot er als die in der Schtubb gschmisse.

   "Schutz. Do hot eener der Balle genumme un iss die annere nooch bis er sie all gschmisse ghatt hot. Hasch waar der seem Weg, yuscht dass sie sich als Hasch gheesse hen, un im Busch rumgschprunge sin. Bloovoggel. Do hen die Meed als all Veggelnaame ghatt un dennoh hot als eens ausfinne misse well dass Bloovogel heesst.

   "Schteckele. Sie hen sich als verschteckelt ass wie eens, un des hot die annere suche misse. Blumsack. Do hen sie als en alt Handduch genumme un des gflochte un en Latt sich uff en Bank ghockt un der Blumsack hinnich sich genumme un eens hot en gsucht. Es hot als aardlich Schleeg gewwe bis dass er gfunne waar. Feikmiehl, Greizmiehl, Ringmiehl, Katzekopp un Gensfuuss sin als mit Welschkann Kanne odder Gnebb uff Schticker Bord gschpielt warre.

   "Lochballe. Do hen sie als en Loch ghatt un eener hot der Balle nei un gsaat wer schmeisse muss, noh sin sie all gschprunge fer weck. Daer wu gedroffe iss warre hot noh der Balle genumme un wann er verfehlt hot, waar era us.

   "Groddehupse. Des waar grosser Gschpass. Finf, sex odder noch meh hen sich hiegschtellt un der Kopp nunnergebiegt un eener iss iwwer sie gtschumpt, eens ums anner bis er iwwer sie all waar. Noh iss der hinnerscht neigschtaert un so bis sie zu mied waare."

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   The days are getting longer and warmer, and you can hear the children playing even after supper. But are they still playing the old games that one can read about in the book Horne's Pennsylvania German Manuel? In his book Abraham R. Horne (1834-1902) once wrote: (Horne's own translation as follows.)

   "In school they were corner ball, bat ball, chase ball, shooting, old sow, and sometimes when the schoolhouse was near the woods, deer, while the girls used to play ring, bluebird, vineyard and bridge building. At home they played hide-and-seek, plumsack, blind-man's-bluff, figmill, cross mill, ringmill, cat's head, goose foot, jack and many others. There were snitzing matches, quilting parties, and stripping matches, where they played party plays and sometimes had dancing.

   "To play corner ball, there were four corners, with one on each corner and a number inside, who were hit with the ball by those on the corners. Bat ball was played much like our baseball, except that they had a soft ball. To play chasing ball, there was only one who would run from corner to corner and hit those inside with the ball.

   "In shooting ball, one took the ball and ran after the others till he had hit them all. Deer was about the same, except that they called themselves deer and ran around in the woods. To play blue bird, they all had the names of birds, and one had to guess which one was the blue bird.

   "To play hide-and-seek, they would all hide and one had to seek the others. Plumsack, they took an old towel, turned and twisted it with a knot at the end, and sat on a bench, when one had to find it behind them. A good deal of lashing was done till it was found. Figmill, crossmill, ringmill, cat's head and goose foot were played on pieces of board with grains of corn and buttons. Hole ball, the boys used to have a hole in the ground, and one would la in the ball and say who should throw. Then the rest ran away. If one was hit, he had to take the ball, and if one missed, he was out.

   "Leap frog, (hop, step and jump). This was much fun. A number of boys would stand in a row - one behind the other facing all one way - bent down their heads, and one of them would jump over the rest, one after another, until he was over them all, when the last one would start in and so on until they were tired."

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf