PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

                                                                    
 
December 02, 2004

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Im Unser Pennsylvanisch-Deitscher Kallenner (1905) hot der Kallennermann (der Henry A. Schuler, 1850-1908) fer der Dezember gschriwwe:

   “In dem Munet warre die Daage als katzer un katzer, un die Owede als lenger un lenger bis so um der 22. rum. Noh heesst’s Windersaafang im Kallenner. Der Winder iss oftmols awwer schunn eender do; alsmol kann mer schunn im November Schlidde faahre. Sell Schliddefaahre iss en groossi Blessier wammer en schmaerder Gaul hot un ‘s iss gudi Baah.

   “Die Buwe un Meed duhne noh als Paerdies uffmache, griege sich en Zweegeilsfuhr un en Dreiwer, faahre aryets naus an en Wattshaus, un losse sich en gut Sabber mache. Fer kammen gebt’s noh aa en Dans odder en Frallick dezu. So gege Daag kumme sie widder heem.”

   Ya, es scheint ass ver alders mer meh so Frallicks ghatt hot ass wie heidichdaags. Es waar im Winder 1901/1902 ass der Solwell Files (der Elwood Fischer, 1857-1921) en en Brief in Ellendauner Zeiding gschriwwe hot:


   “Die Meed waarde all so arrig fer Schnee. Sie deede mol widder gaerne Schlidde faahre. Sie sin des Drallifaahre leedich, un die Buwe ass en Fuhr hen sin ihne nau widder gut genunk. Ich hab gelaabt so gingt’s.
 

   “Awwer was ich saage hab wolle vun der Schlidde-faahrerei. Was kann mer Fann hawwe mit ner hot. Do kann mer die Blaenkets unner die Meed schtobbe, un sie greische net wann mer bissel wedder sie kummt. Noh sin sie en bissel gfrore, un mer kann sie besser handle.”


   Fer der Henry L. Fischer (1822-1909) waar des Schliddefaahre aa en grosser Gschpass, abbaddich wann er zu der Singschul gfaahre iss:

   Im winder waar als Singenschul,
Im Schulhaus datt am Barg:
Datt sin mer als hie Schlidde gfaahre –
Un wann mer all beinanner waare,
Waar’s aartlich iwwerzwarg;
Ihr liewe Leit! O was! O was!
Waar seller guder alder Gschpass!

   Ebmols iss’s iwwer’n Schtumbe gange,
Un hot uns all rausgschmisse;
Datt waare mer, im Schtroh un Shnee,
Drunner-un-driwwer, unnerm Schlee,
Un gaar nix waar verrrisse;
Hurra-a-a! was hen mer doch gelacht!
Es hot der Wald recht Schalle gemacht!

   Heidichdags kumme sie glei middem Sals un Esch. Iss sell ferwas der Schlidde nau en Blummeschtand im Hof iss!

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   In Our Pennsylvania German (Dutch) Almanac (1905), the Almanac Man (actually Henry A. Schuler, 1850-1908) wrote for the month of December:

   “During this month the days get shorter and ever shorter, and the evenings longer and ever longer until about the 22nd. Then the beginning of winter is indicated in the almanac. But winter is often here even earlier; sometimes one can go sleighing already in November. That sleighing is a great pleasure if one has a quick horse and there’s lots of snow.

   “The boys and girls get together parties, get themselves a two-horse sleigh and a driver, drive somewhere out to an inn, and have themselves a good supper made/cooked. Commonly there is also a dance or a frolic. Towards daylight they come home again.”


   Yes, it seems that in days of yore (well, at the turn of the century anyway) we had many more frolics than we have today. It was the winter of 1901/1902 that Solwell Files (actually Elwood Fischer, 1857-1921) wrote in a letter to an Allentown newspaper:

   “The girls were waiting so much for snow. They would like to go sleigh riding again. They are sick and tired of riding the trolley, and the boys who have a carriage (together with horses, of course) are once again good enough for them. I thought it would turn out that way.

   “But what I wanted to day about sleigh riding. What fun you can have while sleight riding if one has a good party/group together. You can stuff the blankets under the girls, and they don’t yell/scream if you come up against them a little bit. Then they are a little frozen, and you can handle them better.”

   For Henry L. Fisher (1822-1909) sleigh riding was also great fun, especially when he drove his sleigh to the singing school:


   In winter there used to be singing school,
In the schoolhouse there at the mountain;
We used to drive our sleighs there
And when we were all together
Things were quite befuddled;
Dear people! Oh, what! Oh, what!
Was all that good old fun!

   Sometimes we drove right over stumps,
And threw all of us out;
There we were, in straw and snow,
Under-and-over, under the sleigh,
And nothing at all was torn;
Hurrah! How we laughed!
It made the forest/woods resound/echo!

   These days they come right away with salt and ashes. Is that why the sleigh is now a flower stand in the yard?

Take care,
The Old Professor
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