PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

July 20, 2000

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Die Louise A. Weitzel (1862-1934) hot mol gschriwwe:

Die Hitz waar grooss, die Leit hen all
   Geguckt wie welke Blumme;
Un alles hot gebrummt, gemault,
   Die Graade un die Grumme.

Im Schadde waar es neinzich Graad,
   Un in der Sunn viel driwwer;
Ich gab der Thermometer graad
   Gschmisse in der Rewwer.

   Un der Eli Keller (1825-1919) hot mol in 1895 gschriwwe:

Was iss des en heesses Wedder,
   Frieh un schpot, Daag un Nacht;
Do iss aa ken Hilf, ken Retter,
   Bis mer’s widder darrichgemacht.

Sunneglut versenkt die Bledder,
   Nemmt schunn weck em Graas sei Saft;
Aus de liebschde Blummebledder,
   Iss die Scheeheet weckgerafft.

Nau saag, ferwas glaage die zwee iwwer die Hitz? Villeicht sedde mer der Kallennermann, der Henry A. Schuler (1850-1908), des fer uns auslege losse. Les mol was er in seim Kallenner fer 1905 gschriwwe hot:

   “Der greescht Deel (vun der Summerhitz) fallt in die Hundsdaage, wu so midde Yuli aafange un sex Woche waehre (eegentlich Yuli 3 bis Auguscht 11). Deel Leit meene die Hundsdaage deet mer so heesse weil’s oft hundsmeesich heess watt selli Zeit, odder weil’s oft hundsmeensich heess watt selli Zeit, odder weil die Hund gaern wiedich warre vun der Hitz.

   “Sell iss awwer gans letz, seeht unser alder Schulmeeschder. Die Hundsdaag, secht er, hen sie schunn zweedausent Yaahr zerrick ghadde. Der Gans Himmel hen sie schunn sellemols abgedeelt ghatt in Schtannbilder, un do sin zwee debei wu sie gross Hund un der glee Hund heesse. Mer kann selli Hund datt drowwe freilich net sehne wann mer net en arrig schtarricki Imagination hot.

   “Nau graad im Maul vun sellem gross Hund iss en arrig heller Schtann, der Sirius, odder Hundsschtann. Midde im Summer geht seller Schtann graad vor der Sunn un noch der Sunn uff, ebaut vazich Daag, un selli Zeit hen sie die Hundsdaage gheese. Sie hen gemeent der Hundsschtann deet’s mache dass es so heess waer selli Zeit.”

   Der Buhneschtiehl hot aa mol vun de Hundsdaage gschriwwe. Neegscht Woch kenne mer sei Schtick aafange.

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

   Louise A. Weitzel (1862-1934) wrote at one time:

The heat was great, all the people
   Looked like wilted flowers;
And everyone grumbled and complained,
   Both the straight and the crooked.

In the shade it was ninety degrees,
   And in the sun a lot over that;
I just took the thermometer
And threw it into the river.

   And Eli Keller (1825-1919) once wrote in 1895:

How hot the weather is,
   Early and late, day and night;
And there’s no help, no savior,
   Until we’ve gotten through it.

The sun’s heat burns the leaves,
   Already takes away the juice (sap) of the grass;
From the dearest flower petals,
   The beauty is torn away.

   Now say, why are these two complaining about the heat? Perhaps we should let the Almanac Man, Henry A. Schuler (1850-1908), explain that for us. Read once what he wrote in his almanac for 1905:

   “The greatest part (of the summer heat) falls during the dog days, which begin about the middle of July and last about six weeks (actually this year from July 3 to August 11). Some people think that we call the dog days such because it often gets doggone hot during that time, or because the dogs like to get mad from the heat.

   “That is however entirely wrong, says our old school master. The dog days, he says, people had already two thousand years ago. They divided up the entire sky into constellations (star pictures), and there are two included that they call the big dog and the small dog. Of course one can’t see those dogs up there if one doesn’t have a strong imagination.

   “Now just in the mouth of that big dog is a very bright star, Sirius, or the Dog Star. In the middle of summer that star rises just before the sun and after the sun, for about forty days, and that time of the year they call the dog days. They thought that it was the star’s fault that it was so hot at that time.”

   Boonastiel also once wrote about the dog days. Next week we can begin his piece.

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf