Curious sayings and humorous expressions in Pennsylvania Dutch English
English as a world language
English, with its increasing number of varieties, pidgins, and inflections, is now firmly established as a world language. It is currently spoken as a second or foreign language by more speakers than those who call it their first language. There are now more than three non-native speakers of English for every native speaker, and the number of non-native speakers of English continues to grow daily. “Never before has there been a language that has been spoken by more people as second than first,” said David Crystal, author of the book “English as a Global Language.” In the area where I grew up in south-central Pennsylvania, there is an interesting variety of the English language spoken by the “Pennsylvania Dutch.”
A difficult aspect of English speaking in Dauphin, Lancaster, and York counties in south central Pennsylvania, where a large concentration of Amish, Mennonites, and other “Pennsylvania Dutch” sects live, is the manipulation of the grammatical elements of English. Here are some examples of the ways in which grammar and word order are handled in everyday speech in Pennsylvania Dutch. For “outsiders” – anyone other than Pennsylvania Dutch – these expressions of everyday speech can range from funny to surprising. Here are some of the many aspects of this variety of English.
Intricate grammatical forms
“He throws dad down the stairs with his hat.”
Explanation: Throw Daddy’s hat down the stairs. (I don’t care how old he is, don’t you dare touch the old Pope!)
“Go out and tie the dog and don’t forget to turn off the light.”
This expression uses complicated grammar in addition to “Germanic” verbalizations. Here the verb “outen” means “to go out”. The adjective and noun are used in reverse order to other forms of Standard English.
“The owner says he will pay me ten dollars a day if I eat myself, but only five dollars if he eats me.”
Explanation: No, there is no cannibalism here! The worker will receive $ 10 a day for providing his own meals, but $ 5 a day if the owner has to provide the worker’s meal. (Wow! I’m glad we cleared that up!)
“He’s a pretty good man still, isn’t he?”
Explanation: He’s a good man (provider), right? (a label question form)
Use of specialized vocabulary
The addition of specialized but “local” vocabulary is also done quite frequently, as demonstrated in these examples.
“Should I put the candy in a bite?” (A “toot” is a paper bag).
When talking about the fact that his father or grandfather is sick, a child might say:
“Dad is not that good; his food is gone and it doesn’t look that good on his face either.”
Speaking of his son’s difficulties in school, a parent could be heard expressing the following feelings: “My son is not stupid. It’s not that he can’t learn, it’s just that after he learns it, he forgets it.”
If you don’t speak “Pennsylvania Dutch” in one of its many forms, you may be told, “You don’t distinguish yourself so well. You speak so gracefully as if a body can’t understand you.”
When talking about someone who does not read aloud well, in a meeting or at school, for example, people might say something like, “When you get up to read, you get confused.”
Or how about this fun little observation of someone else’s speech: “Don’t talk too fast, it runs too much when I think.”
Pennsylvania Dutch Proverbs
Some interesting Pennsylvania Dutch proverbs include these offerings:
“Kissing wears out, cooking doesn’t”
“No woman can be happy with less than seven to cook”
“A plump wife and a big barn never hurt a man”
“He who has a secret does not dare to tell his wife”
“We get too old and too late, idiots”
The state of the cornerstone
In this region of the “Keystone state,” as Pennsylvania is called, this variety is often called “Ferhoodled English” by the Pennsylvania Dutch themselves and by local “outsiders.” Famous for their frugal lifestyle and delicious fresh, natural cuisine, the Amish and other sects contribute to the state’s tourism. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to taste the crafts, food and “peculiar” language of this austere town. It is just another one of the many varieties of English that is continually developing as a global language.
“When you come, get out” When you are in the area, stop by. See, hear and experience Pennsylvania Dutch food and Dutch for yourself.