EXAMPLES.
§ 1. _Wiidǝr aa˛geschmiirt._
¶ 1. Dass dii meed ǝn wunnǝrbaarǝr schtǝff sin, wen [wann?] sii
f'r mennǝ ausgrukǝ, wærd iir aa schun ausgefunnǝ hawǝ. Sii sin
so schlippǝrich wii ǝn fisch, un wan m'r meent m'r hätt eens fescht,
dan knabbǝrt 's schun an nǝr annǝrǝ ang'l.
TRICKED AGAIN.--_That the maidens are a wondrous matter if they_
(ausgucken) _look out for husbands_ (werdet Ihr) _will you_ (auch) _also
have_ (schon) _already discovered._ _They are as slippery as a fish, and
when one supposes_ (subjunctive er hätte) _he might have one fast,_ (it
nibbles) _there is already nibbling at_ (einer andern) _another hook._
¶ 2. Ich hab eich do schun foor 'sǝm' tseit tsrik f'rtseelt, wii ich
mit d'r 'Hænnǝ' ei˛kummǝ bin, un was f'r 'kælkǝleesch'nss' dass
ich gemacht hab f'r n 'schtoor' úftsusétsǝ an dem alti Schniipikl
seinǝr kreits-schtross.
_I have recounted_ (euch) _to you here 'some' time ago, how I paid
attentions to 'Hannah,' and the 'calculations' that I made to set up_
[an English idiom] _a 'store' at old Schniepickel's Crossroads._
¶ 3. 'Well,' selli tseit hab ich mich bei d'r 'Hænnǝ' wiischt
aa˛geschmiirt gefunnǝ (kfunnǝ), f'r ich hab gemeent, dass sii
niimand sunscht 'g_leich_ǝ,' un liiwǝr drei moonat lang
gebrootǝnǝ rattǝ fressǝ deet, wii an eenighǝr annǝrǝr kærl
tsu denkǝ--
_'Well,' that time I found myself badly[60] tricked with 'Hannah,' for I
believed that she 'liked' nobody else, and_ (thät lieber fressen) _would
rather devour fried rats three months long, than to think on any other
fellow;_
¶ 4. un dii 'seem' tseit hat sii dem 'Sæm' Hinnǝrbee˛ 'kumpanii'
gewwǝ, un tsu annǝri ksaat, sii wǝtt sich liiwǝr ufhenkǝ un
d'r hals mit d'r hǝls-seeg apschneidǝ, as so ǝn alt 'griinharn'
wii mich heiǝrǝ.
_and the 'same' time she gave 'Sam' Hinterbein 'company' and said to
others, she would rather hang herself and cut off the neck with the
wood-saw_ (als) _than to marry such an old greenhorn as me._
¶ 5. Du kannscht diir denkǝ, dass mich sel f'rtsernt hǝt un dass ich
mei˛ 'plæns' weeghǝ schtoorhaltǝ an dem kreitsweek pletslich
ge-ennǝrt hab.
_You can imagine to yourself that that_ (verzürnt) _angered me, and
that_ (plötzlich) _suddenly I_ (habe geändert) _changed my plans about
storekeeping at the Crossway._
¶ 6. Ich hab mich dann ǝn bissl rúmgegúkt un gefúnnǝ dass drǝwǝ
an d'r 'Passǝm krik' ǝn 'neisi opning' f'r n tíchtighǝr
'schmærtǝr' kærl wii ich eenǝr bin, wær.
_I then looked me_ (ein biszchen herum) _a little round and_ (gefunden)
_found that_ (droben) _up on 'Possum creek' was a 'nice opening' for a_
(tüchtig _tight_) _capable 'smart' fellow, as I am one._
¶ 7. Dart am ek wuunt d'r alt 'Eeb' Windbeissǝr uf m groosi schtik
land; dem sei˛ 'Meeri' hǝt m'r 'ǝbaut' aa˛kschtannǝ, un
allǝs sunscht dart rum hǝt m'r recht guut gefállǝ (kfallǝ),
juscht hǝt dii 'Meeri' so gaar eewich fiil schweschtǝr un briidǝr,
dass als kee˛ plats f'r uns tswee im haus waar, un in dii scheir
geeǝ musstǝ, wann m'r mit ǝn-annǝr schwetsǝ wǝttǝ.
_There on the corner lives old 'Abe' Windbeisser on a large piece (of)
land; whose 'Mary about' pleased me, and all_ (sonst dort herum)
_besides there-about pleased me right well, only Mary had_ (gar ewig so
viel) _quite ever so many sisters and brothers, that (there) was always
no place for us two in the house, and (we) must go in the barn when we
would speak with oneanother._
¶ 8. Sell hǝt m'r 'ǝf-koors' net so árik aa˛kschtannǝ, awǝr
(aawǝr) dii Meeri hǝt gemeent des wær niks, m'r misst sich ewwǝ
tsu helfǝ wissǝ.
_That 'of-course' was not so very agreeable to me, but Mary considered
that to be nothing; one must know_ (eben) _exactly how to help one's
self._
¶ 9. En tseit lang iss 'nau' allǝs guut gangǝ, meini
'kælkǝleeschǝnss' waarǝ wiidǝr 'reddi' un dii Meeri hǝt mir
tsu f'rschteeǝ gewwǝ, dass ich eenichǝ tseit mit iirǝm daadi
schwetsǝ un dann d'r parrǝr [and parrǝ] beschtéllǝ kennt.
_(For) some time 'now' all went well, my 'calculations' were again
'ready,' and Mary had given me to understand that any time I could speak
with her_ (Swiss dädi) _father, and then engage the minister._
¶ 10. 'Well,' d'r neekscht sundaak, ich hab iim ksaat dass ich un sei˛
Meeri unsǝr meind ufgemacht hättǝ tsu heiǝrǝ, un froog iin ep ær
eenich eppǝs [or ebbǝs] dageeghǝ hätt. Nee˛, secht ær, ich hab
niks dageeghǝ, aawǝr hǝscht du dann dii 'Mændǝ' heit kseene?
_'Well' the next Sunday I told him that I and his Mary had_ (English
idiom) _made up our 'mind' to marry, and asked him_ (ob) _if he had_
(einiges etwas) _any_(some)_thing there-against. No,_ (_sägt_, for G.
sagte) _said he, I have nothing against it--but have you seen 'Amanda'
to-day?_
¶ 11. "Iir hen mich lets f'rschtannǝ," saag ich, "ich will dii Meeri
heiǝrǝ, net dii Mændǝ." (Du muscht wissǝ, dii Mændǝ iss
'ǝbaut' seks joor eltǝr wii dii Meeri un net neekscht soo
guutgukich.)
_"You have understood me_ [Swiss and SG. letz] _wrongly," say I, "I wish
to marry 'Mary' and not 'Amanda'." (You must know, 'Amanda' is 'about'
six years older than 'Mary,' and not_ (next) _near so goodlooking.)_
¶ 12. "Joo, ich hab dich recht guut f'rschtannǝ, aawǝr du bischt
noch net 'ufge_pooscht_.' Geschtǝr marighǝ iss dii Mændǝ nooch 'Hen'
Greifdaalǝrs 'schtoor' un hǝt sich eppǝs kaaft--'Griischǝn' Bendǝr
glaab ich heescht sii des ding.
_"Yes, I have understood you right well, but you are not yet 'posted'
up. Yesterday morning 'Amanda' went to 'Hen.' Gripedollar's 'store' and
bought herself something--'Grecian' Bend_ (pun on _bend_ and _bänder_,
ribbons,) _I believe she calls the thing._
¶ 13. "Wii dii Meeri sel geseenǝ (or kseenǝ) hat, wærd sii gans (or
gants) närrisch dofoor, un fangt aa˛ mit d'r Mændǝ tsu handlǝ,
weil d'r 'schtoorkiipǝr' juscht dii eéntsighǝ maschiin katt hǝt.
_When Mary saw it she becomes quite silly_ (dafür) _for it, and begins
to bargain with Amanda, as the 'storekeeper'_ (hat gehabt) _had but the
single machine._
¶ 14. "Well, sii sin net eenich [geworden] warrǝ bis geeghǝ oowǝt,
un dann hen sii 'ǝgriid,' das dii Meeri dich tsu d'r Mændǝ ufgept,
un dii Meeri dii Griischǝn Bendǝr kriikt!"
_"Well, they were not_ (einig) _in accord till_ (gegen abend) _towards
evening, and then they 'agreed' that Mary would give you up to Amanda,
and she should get the Grecian Bend."_
¶ 15. F'r_schwappt_? Mich uf den 'Griischǝn', Bendǝr 'f'rschwappt,'
oone mich ærscht tsu frooghǝ?!
_'Swapped'! Me 'swapped' on the Grecian Bend,_ (ohne mich erst zu
fragen) _without first asking me?!_
¶ 16. "So schteet s 'nau,' dii Mændǝ is drunnǝ im kuuschtall, wann
du fĭleicht ærscht mit iir dǝrweeghǝ schwetsǝ witt."
_"So stands it 'now,' Amanda is_ (darunter) _down there at the stable,
if you perhaps_ (willst) _will first speak with her about it."_
¶ 17. Ich? mit iir dǝrweeghǝ schwetsǝ? Iss gaar net nootwennich!
Wann mich deini meed kaafǝ, f'rkaafǝ un f'r_schwapp_ǝ kennǝ,
dann sollǝ sii aa seenǝ, dass sii mich kriighǝ. 'Guutbei.'
_I? speak with her about it? (It) is quite unnecessary. If your girls_
(können kaufen) _can buy, sell, and 'swap' me, then_ (sollen sie auch
sehen) _shall they also see that they get me. 'Goodby.'_
¶ 18. Ich wees net was dii Windbeissǝr meed[61] mit un oone
Griischǝn Bendǝr fun miir denkǝ, aawǝr was ich fun iinǝ denk
wees ich, wærd diir s aawǝr 'ennihau' net saaghǝ.
_I know not what the Windbeisser girls with and without Grecian Bend
think of me,_ (aber ich weiss) _but I know what I think of them--but
will 'anyhow' not tell it to you._
¶ 19. 'Nau' hab ich im sinn noch eé˛mool[62] tsu prowiirǝ, sobál ich
n 'tschænss' ausfinn, un wann m'r s aa dann net glikt, geb ich s uf un
wærd ǝn altǝr 'bætschǝlǝr.'[63]
_I now have in mind_ (zu probîren) _to try yet_ (einmal) _once, as soon
as I find out a 'chance,' and if it also prospers not then with me, I
will give it up and be an old 'bachelor.'_
§ 2. _Wii kummt ǝs?_
¶ 1. Ich lees eiǝr tseitung 'reglǝr' alli woch, un weil ich alsfart
so fiil nei-ichkeit'n drin lees, do bin ich schun oft (ǝft) uf dii
'nosch'n' [gekommen] kummǝ iir [müsset] misst allǝs wissǝ.
HOW COMES IT? _I read_ (euer) _your journal 'regular' every week, and
as I constantly read so many novelties in it,_ (da _then_) _have I
indeed often come to the 'notion' you must know everything._
¶ 2. Wann _=epper=_ sich ufhengt, ǝdǝr heiǝrt, ǝdǝr
_=eppǝs=_ schteelt, ǝdǝr gærn ǝn guuti 'affis' hätt, ǝdǝr in
dii 'tscheel' kummt, ǝdǝr sich n fing-er apschneidt, ǝdǝr sei˛
'plats' f'rkaaft, ǝdǝr n hinkl schteelt, ǝdǝr 'guuf'rniir´'
wærrǝ will, ǝdǝr im 'gǝttǝr' kfunnǝ wært, ǝdǝr seini
tseitung net betsaalt, dann kann m'r sich druf f'rlassǝn, dass ǝs in
dii tseitung kummt.
_If_ (Swiss _epper_, masc. of G. etwas,) _anyone hangs himself, or
marries, or steals_ (G. etwas) _anything, or would like to have a good
'office,' or gets into 'jail,' or cuts himself a finger off, or sells
his 'place'_ (or _farm_), _or steals a chicken, or wishes to become
'governor,' or is_ [gefunden] _found in the 'gutter,' or does not pay
for his journal, then one can depend upon it that it gets into the
newspaper._
¶ 3. Ich bin ǝn altǝr bauǝr un f'rschtee net fiil, un weil iir
alles tsu wissǝ scheint, doo will ich eich ǝmoól ǝn paar sachǝ
frooghǝ, dii ich gærn wissǝ deet.
_I am an old farmer and do not understand much, and as you seem to
understand everything, I will here ask you once several things, which I
would like to know._
¶ 4. Wii kummt ǝs, dass dii jung-i bauǝrǝbuuwǝ graad brillǝn
un schtǝk traaghǝ missǝ, wann sii in dii 'kallitsch' [geschickt
werden] kschikt wærrǝ? Ich hab als gemeent ich wollt mei˛ 'Sæm' aa
in dii 'kallitsch' schikǝ, aawǝr wann dii leit graad schlechti
aaghǝ kriighǝ un laam wærrǝ, dann behalt ich mei˛ 'Sæm' liiwǝr
dǝheem un lærn iin selwǝr als oowǝts.
_How comes it, that the young farmer-boys must immediately carry
spectacles and_ (stöcke) _sticks when they are sent to 'college'? I have
hitherto thought I would send my 'Sam' to 'college,' but if people
immediately get bad eyes and become lame, I will rather keep him at home
and teach him myself of evenings._
¶ 5. Wii kummt ǝs, dass deel weipsleit in eirǝm iistan (Easton) soo
aarm [sein wollen] sei˛ wellǝ un doch soo lang-i frackschwents uf 'm
'peefmǝnt' noochschleefǝ? [Werden] wærre[64] selli weipsleit
betsaalt f'r s 'peefmǝnt' [sauber] sauwǝr tsu haltǝ, ǝdǝr wii
[können] kennǝ sii 'affoordǝ' soo aa˛tsugeeǝ?
_How comes it, that_ (theil) _part (of the) women in your Easton_ (sein
wollen) _pretend to be so poor, and yet_ (nach-schleifen) _drag along_
_such long frock_ (schwänze) _tails on the 'pavement'? Will those women
be paid for keeping the 'pavement' clean, else how can they 'afford' to
proceed thus?_
¶ 6. Wii kummt ǝs, dass dii jung-i buuwǝ selli meed, woo reichi
daadis [Swiss dädi] hen, liiwǝr noochschpringǝ als dii aarmi? Gukt
sel net als wii wann sii meer uum s geld gewwǝ [thäten] deetǝ als
wii uum dii meed? Wann ich ǝn meedl wær un hätt so ǝn 'boo,' dann
deet ich iin mit d'r feiǝrtsang fartschtéwǝrǝ.
_How comes it, that the young men_ (lieber nachspringen) _sooner run
after those girls who have rich_ [the plural _-s_ is English] _fathers,
than the poor ones? Looks it not just as if they would give more for the
money than for the maid? If I were a girl and had such a 'beau,'_ (then)
_I would_ [stöbern, ö long] _drive him forth with the fire-tongs._
¶ 7. Wii kummt ǝs, dass n deel jung-i leit nimmi deitsch leesǝ un
schwetsǝ kennǝ, wann sii mool '_jes_' un '_noo_' saaghǝ kennǝ?
Meim [dative for genitive] nochbǝr, dem Maardi Halsbendl sei˛
eltǝst'r [sohn] suu˛, dær so deitsch waar wii saurkraut des schun
siwwǝ mool ufgwærmt iss, waar kærtslich ǝmool in d'r schtatt, un wii
ær wiid'r heem kummǝ iss, do waar ær so eng-lisch, dass ær schiir gaar
nimmi mit seim daadi un mammi schwetsǝ kann. Sii sin 'nau' arik im
'truwl' un sei˛ daadi meent, sii misst'n iin naus nooch Kniphaus'n
schikkǝ, f'r iin wiid'r (widr) deitsch tsu machǝ.
_How comes it that some young people are no longer able to read and
speak German if they only know how to say 'yes' and 'no'? The eldest son
of my neighbor Martin Neckband, who was as Dutch as sourcrout which has
been warmed up seven times, was once recently a week in town, and when
he had returned home again, there was he so English that he could
scarcely speak anymore with his father and mother. They are 'now'
greatly in 'trouble,' and his father thinks they must send him out to
Kniphausen to make him German again._
¶ 8. Wie kummt ǝs, dass dii aarmi leit geweenlich dii meerschtǝn
hund un katsǝ hen? Do bei uns wuunt n famíljǝ, dii als bettǝlǝ
muss, un dii fiir groosǝ hund un siwwǝ katsǝ hǝt. Sii selwǝr
saaghǝ, sii misst'n so fiil hund hawǝ f'r dii diib aptsuhaltǝ.[65]
_How comes it, that poor people_ (gewöhnlich haben) _commonly have the
most dogs and cats? Here near us lives a family which must always beg,
and which has four large dogs and seven cats. They themselves say, they_
(müszten haben) _were obliged to have so many dogs to keep away the
thieves._
§3.
_Will widd'r Biiwǝli[66] sei˛._ _Will be a Boy again._
¶ 1. 1.
.ǝs reeghǝrt heit, mr kann net It rains to-day, one cannot
naus out,
un s iss so 'loonsǝm' doo im haus; and t'is so 'lonesome' in the
house;
mr wees net wii mr fiilt. one knows not how one feels,
ich will mool duu, als wæær ich klee˛ I will once do as were I small
un uf d'r éwǝrscht schpeichǝr gee˛ and in the highest garret go--
dart hab ich uftmools kschpiilt. there have I ofttimes played.
¶ 2. 2.
.ǝn biiwli bin ich widdǝr jets, An urchin am I now again,
wu sin mei˛ _=krutsǝ=_ un mei˛ where are my corn-cobs and my
klets? blocks?
'nau' wært n haus gebaut! 'now' will a house be built!
ǝs schpiilt sich doch net guut one plays indeed not well
alée˛-- alone--
ich bin joo doch kee˛ biiwli mee! I am in fact no urchin more!
was kluppt mei, hærts so laut! my heart how loud it beats!
¶ 3. 3.
Harrich! was 'n wunnǝrbaarǝ sach! And hark! how wonderful it is!
d'r reeghǝ rapplt uf 'm dach the rain now rattles on the
roof
gaar nimmi wii ær hǝt! no more as it once did!
ich hab 's als kæært mit leichtǝm I heard it once with buoyant
hærts, heart,
nau gepts m'r arik heemwee schmærts, but now it gives a home-sick
smart,
kennt heilǝ wan ich wǝt. I coúld weep if I would.
¶ 5. 5.
Des schpiilǝ geet net, sǝl ich The play succeeds not, shall I
fart? forth?
was iss uf selli balkǝ dart? what is upon that timber there?
'nau' bin ich widdǝr buu! 'now' I'm a boy again!
dart hen m'r keschtǝ ausgeschtreit, there did we spread the
chestnuts out
tsu dærrǝ uf dii Krischdaak tseit-- to have them dry for Christmas
time--
deet 's gleichǝ widdǝr duu! would 'like' to do t again!
¶ 6. 6.
.ǝn biiwli sei˛--sell iss d'r To be a boy--that is worth
wært-- while--
dii keschtǝ 'rooschtǝ' uf d'r to 'roast' the chestnuts on the
hært-- hearth--
was hǝt des als gekracht! what crackling that produced!
Sell iss forbei. Ich fiil 's im t'is gone--I feel that in my
gmiid,[67] soul
es schpiilt 'n rechtǝs heemwee it plays a real home-sick
liid, tune--
d'r reeghǝ uf 'm dach! the rain upon the roof!
¶ 7. 7.
Dort schteet dii 'seem' alt walnus There stands the 'same' old
kischt, walnut chest
ich wunnǝr 'nau' was dart drin I wonder 'now' what may be
isch? in 't,
's muss eppǝs 'bartich sei˛. it must be something (abartig)
rare.
Kallénǝr, tseitung, bichǝr--hoo! Calendars--newspapers--books
--oh
dii alti sachǝ hen sii doo the olden objects have we here
all sunnǝrscht-sewǝrscht[68] all upside down within.
nei˛.
¶ 8. 8.
'Nau' bin ich aawǝr recht ǝn buu, But 'now' I truly am a boy
weil ich do widdǝr seenǝ duu because I now again behold
des alt bekanntǝ sach. this old familiar thing.
Harrich! hæærscht d'r reeghǝ! 'Jes Hark! Hearst the rain! 'Yes,
indiid'-- yes indeed,'
er schpiilt ǝn rechtǝs heemwee liid it plays a proper home-sick
dart oowǝ uf 'm dach! air up there upon the roof!
¶ 13. 13.
Sii henkǝ net am balkǝ mee They hang not on the
cross-beams more
dii bindlǝ fun dem kreitǝr tee, the bundles of botanic tea,
un allǝrlee gewærts; and every kind of root;
'nau' will ich widdǝr biiwli sei˛-- 'now' I will be a boy again
ich hool sii f'r dii mammi rei˛-- and for my mother bring them
in--
sell 'pliist' mei, biiwli hærts.[69] that 'pleased' my boyish
heart.
--HARBAUGH.
§ 4. _Anglicised German._
The following factitious example, full of English words and idioms, is
from a New York German newspaper, and purports to be written by a German
resident in America. The spelling recalls the name HEYFLEYER over a
stall in the stables of the King of Wurtemberg. The writer of the letter
spells his name in three ways, instead of 'Schweineberger,' as given in
the tale.
Landkäsder, Penſilvenia, North-Amerika, 32. Dezr. 52.
Dheire Mudder!--Du Würſt es nit begreife kenne, alſz ich dort
weck bin, hawen alle Leit geſacht, der Hannes werrd nit gud
ausmache, das ich jetzt ſo gut ab binn. Awer, well, jetzt g'hör'
ich zu de Tſchentel-Leit in unſre Zitti unn eeniger Männ, wo
in Iurop en werri fein Männ is, dhät lachche, bikahs er gleichte
ſo gut auszumache, als der John Swinebarker.
Obſchon, ich unterſtehe des Büſſeneſſ beſſer as
die andre Dotſchmänn, wo eweri Teim ſo ſchlecht
edſchukädet bleibe, as ſe in Iurop ware; Wer hier gleicht, gud
auszumache, muſz ſich zu de amerikaniſche Tſchentel-Leit
halte, wo eweri Männ Something lerne kann.
Du kannſt auch zu mein dheires Eliänorche ſage, das es kommen
kann; ſie kann der hohl Däy im Rockel-Schär ſitze, ich ſend
hir inkluded ſixtig Dollars, mit das kann ſie über Liwerpuhl
und Nujork zu mich komme, und verbleibe
Dein moſt zänkvoll Son John Swineberger.
Boſchkrippt: Du muſt die Monni for des Bordo auslege; ich will
ſend es Dir mit dem nächſte Letter. John Schweinebärker.
FOOTNOTES:
[60] A Swiss use of the G. wüst (waste, confused, wild).
[61] This 'meed' is singular and plural, but the singular is
more commonly meedl, SG. maidle, G. mädchen. It differs from maad (sing.
and pl. G. _magd_), a female servant.
[62] Being emphasised, the accent is on the first syllable,
while in 'ǝmool' (below § 2, ¶ 3) it is on the second.
[63] Condensed and transliterated from the (German) _Bucks
County Express_, Doylestown, Pa. July 20, 1869.
[64] G. _worden_ becomes 'warrǝ.' See §1, ¶14.
[65] Condensed from the (German) _Correspondent & Demokrat_,
Easton, Pa. Aug. 25, 1869.
[66] The spelling of the original is 'Buwelle,' without the
_umlaut_, which others use. The original has 'owerscht' in the fifth
line, but the _umlaut_ is in use, and seems to be required, as in
Bavarian.
[67] G. gemüth.
[68] G. da_s_ _un_t_erst_e _z_u _oberst_ (topsy-turvy). Compare
PG. 'hinnǝrscht-feddǝrscht' (wrong end foremost).
[69] Transliterated extract from a longer poem in the _Father
Abraham_, Lancaster, Pa. Feb. 1869.