Pennsylvania Dutch Dialect - Rauch
The following dialog is from the 1879 Rauch's
Pennsylvania Dutch
Hand-Book. I've changed Rauch's spelling (orthography) to
comply with
the
recent Bufffington-Barba standard. The pattern of speech hasn't
changed in quite a long time making this still very relevent.
Although I changed the spelling of the Pennsylvania Dutch words, I left
the English loan words using English spelling, but highlighted that
fact with italics.
However, I have left the sch
for sh shift.Although in many places on other web pages, I've used the Schuylkill County variations of words, I have not attempted to change the following to conform to any particular regional variation.
Rauch's Pennsylvania Dutch Hand-Book
The Use of Words
E.H. Rauch
1879
Acting - act-e. Ich hab der Hanswascht sehne act-e.
Act-e - acting. I have seen the clown acting.
Acorn - Aichel. En blindi Sau finnt aa ebmols en Eechel.
Aichel - acorn. A blind hog will also find an acorn occasionally.
Inheritance - Erbschaft. En grossi Erbschaft waer en first-rate-i cure fer hardi Zeite.
Erbschaft - inheritance. A large inheritance would be a first-rate cure for hard times.
Work - Arwet. Den Vormiddaag waar ich hard an der Arwet.
Arwet - work. This forenoon I was hard at work.
Dressed - aageduh. Ich hab mei beschti Gleeder aageduh un bin in die Karrich gange.
Aageduh - dressed. I dressed myself in my best clothes and went to church.
Part - Aadeel. Mit selli Proceedings nemm ich kee Aadeel.
Aadeel - part. With those proceedings I will take no part.
Agreeable - aagenehm. En feini yungi Lady iss alsfatt aagenehm.
Aagenehm - agreeable. A fine young lady is always agreeable.
Poor - aarem. Der aarem Mann hot kee Heemet.
Aarem - poor. The poor man has no home.
Burial - begraebniss. Geschter waar ich am Begraebniss.
Begraebniss - burial. Yesterday I was at the burial.
Angry - bees. Der Lawyer hot gshwetzd, ass wann er arrig bees waar.
Bees - angry. The lawyer talked as if he were very angry.
Converted - Bekehrt. Sie saage es hette sich arrig viel bekehrt an der Camp Meeting.
Bekehrt - converted. They say a great many were converted at the camp meeting.
Bargain - Bariye. Ich geb der mei Watch fer deini un fimf Daaler in der Bariye.
Bariye - bargain. I'll give you my watch for yours and five dollars in the bargain.
Belly - Bauch, Es iss bauchgatt ass 's Bobbeli greische macht.
Bauch - belly. It is belly-ache that makes the baby scream.
Catnip - Katzegraut. Fer sell iss kee besser Middel as Katzegraut Tee.
Katzegraut - catnip. For that, there is no better remedy than catnip tea.
Crabbed - griddlich. Un wann als 's Bobbeli greischt, dann waar aa die alt Fraa arrig griddlich.
Griddlich - crabbed. And whenever the baby screams the old woman gets very crabbed herself.
Courting - karessiere. Ich glaab, ass du oft naus gehscht die Meed karessiere.
Karessiere - courting. I believe that you frequently go out courting the girls.
Roof - Dach. Ich duh en nei Dach uff der Hulz Schoppe.
Dach - roof. I'll put a new roof on the wood shed.
Day laborer - Daaglehner. Seller Mann iss an arrig fleissicher Daaglehner.
Daaglehner - day laborer. That man is a very industrious day laborer.
Date - Daatem. Was iss der Daatem vun meiner Not?
Daatem - date. What is the date of my note?
Day - Daag. Ich kann der exact Daag net saage, fer ich hab die Not net bei mir.
Daag - day. I cannot tell the exact day, as I have not the note with me.
Dear - deier. Ich kann net afford-e so viel Grundniss zu esse - sie sin viel zu deier.
Deier - dear. I cannot afford to eat so many peanuts - they are much too dear.
Here - do. Guck nau yuscht emol do.
Do - here. Now just for once look here.
Awkward - dabbich. Seller Kall scheint arrig dabbich zu sei.
Dabbich - awkward. That fellow seems to be very awkward.
Thunder - dunnere. Huscht sell schrecklich schwer dunnere gheert die letscht Nacht?
Dunnere - thundering. Did you hear the terrible heavy thundering last night?
Dark - dunkel. Die letscht Nacht war 's arrig dunkel.
Dunkel - dark. Last night was very dark.
Sometimes - ebmols. Ich duh ebmols Cigars schmoke, awwer net regularly.
Ebmols - sometimes. Sometimes I smoke cigars, but not regularly.
Impression - Eidrick. Unser Parre hut iwwer aus gut gebreddicht am letschte Sunndaag, un er hot aa en diefer Eidruck gemacht.
Eidruck - impression. Our parson preached remarkably well on last Sunday and he made a deep impression.
Objection - Eiwendung. Es hot awwer doch viel Leit, ass Eiwendung hen zu sellem Parre, yuscht weil er sich net faricht die Waahret zu breddiche.
Eiwendung - objection. But yet there are many persons who make objection to that preacher, just because he is not afraid to preach the truth.
Eating - essa. My Fraa iss am Eppel esse.
Essa - eating. My wife is eating apples.
Vinegar - Essich. Selli Eppel sin so sauer as Essich.
Essich - vinegar. Those apples are as sour as vinegar.
Fighting - fechta. Seller Mann un sei Fraa waare widder am fechte wie Hunde un Katze.
Fechta - fighting. That man and his wife have again been fighting like dogs and cats.
Birds - Veggel. Der Winter kummt - die Veggel sin schier all disappeared - zu ihre siedliche Heemede gange.
Veggel - birds. Winter is coming, - the birds have nearly all disappeared - gone to their southern homes.
Damp - feicht. Es wasrd als gsaat, ass feicht Wedder Rummedis bei bringt.
Feicht - damp. It is said that damp weather begets rheumatism.
Due - verfalle. Am fimfte vum negscht Munet dutt mei Not verfalle in der Bank.
Verfalle - due. On the fifth of next month my note will be due in bank.
Lost - verlore. Ich hob aa als endorsed fer anner Leit un seller Weg, hab ich schier alles verlore, was ich yemols ghatt hab.
Verlore - lost. I also used to endorse for other people and in that way I lost almost all I ever possessed.
Forget - Vergess. Vergess net un bring widder selli Amberell zerick, ass ich der gewwe hab der anner Daag.
Vergess - forget. Don't forget to return that umbrella which I gave you the other day.
Deranged - verrickt. Seller Kall act yuscht, ass wann er verrickt waar.
Verrickt - deranged. That fellow acts just as if he were deranged.
Frightened - verschrocke. er waar arrig verschrocke.
Verschrocke - frightened. He was very much frightened.
Assembling - versammle. Es is Zeit zu geh, die Leit duhn sich schun versammle.
Versammle - assembling. It is time to go, the people are already assembling.
Mending - flicke. Do iss seller Daaler fer mei Schuh flicka.
Flicke - mending. Here is that dollar for mending my shoes.
Eclipse - Finischderniss. According zum Kalender waere mir an Sunne Finschderniss hawwe eens vun denne Daag.
Finschderniss - eclipse. According to the almanac, we are going to have an eclipse of the sun one of these days.
Rotting - faule. Die Eppel halte net lang fer sie sin schun am faule.
Faule - rotting. The apples won't last long for they are rotting already.
Grain - Frucht. Mir kenne Frucht genunk raise-e in dem Land fer uns selwer fiedere un ganz Europe besides.
Frucht - grain. We can raise grain enough in this country to feed ourselves and all Europe besides.
Bailed - gabailed. Er is aus der Jail - eens vun seine Freind hout 'n raus gebailed.
Gabailed-bailed. He is out of jail - one of his friends bailed him out.
Bound - gebunne. Der Dockter hot sei weher Aarem zu gebunne.
Gebunne - bound. The doctor bound up his sore arm.
Hatched - gebrieht. Unser alt Hinkel hot neine Ende Oier ausgebrieht un die yungi Ende hen nau en Hinkel als ee Schtiefmammi.
Gebrieht - hatched. Our old hen hatched out nine duck's eggs, and the young ducks now have a chicken as a step-mother.
Patience - Geduld. Fer so 'n guts Pennsilfaani Deitsch Buch schreiwe nemmts hardi Arwet un viel Geduld.
Geduld - patience. To write such a good Pennsylvania Dutch book takes hard work and much patience.
Married - geheiert. Es is nau schier dreisich Yaahr sidder, ass ich un mei Fraa geheiert hen.
Geheiert - married. It is now almost thirty years since my wife and myself were married.
Faithful - Gedrei. Es is mit woret gsaat, ass en gedreier Mann en Model unner Menner iss.
Gedrei - faithful. It is well said that a faithful man is a model among men.
Scolded - gezankt. Wie ich am zwelf Uhr heemkumme bin, hot mei Fraa gezankt.
Gezankt - scolded. When I came home at twelve o'clock, my wife scolded.
Washed - gwesche. Den Mariye bin ich uffgschtanne am sex Uhr, hab mei Gleeder aageduh un dann mich gwesche.
Gwesche - washed. This morning I rose at six o'clock, put on my clothes and then washed myself.
Fiddle - Geig. Am End iss kee sort Inschdrumente Musik so lebhaft iss die alt fashioned-e Geig.
Geig - fiddle. After all there is no sort of instrumental music so enlivening as the old fashioned fiddle.
Grunting - grexe. Die halb Zeit dutt er loaf-e un saufe un grexe.
Grexe - grunting. Half the time he is loafing and guzzling and grunting.
Happy - harlich. Er iss gsund un harlich so viel, ass ich wees.
Harlich - happy. He is well and happy as far as I know.
Rabbits - Haasa. Ich waar draus der ganz Daag mit Flint un Hund un hab vier Haase gschosse.
Haase - rabbits. I was out all day with gun and dog and shot four rabbits.
Cough - Huuschde. Es kummt mir fer du hettscht en arrig gfarlicher Huuschte - du besser gebscht gut Acht uff dich.
Huuschde - cough. It seems to me you have a very dangerous cough - you'd better take good care of yourself.
Witches - hexe. Was iss dei opinion wegge Hexe?
Hexe - witches. What is your opinion about witches?
Translating - iwwersetze. Des was ich nau schreib in English un in Pennsilfaani Deitsch iss was mir iwwersetze heest.
Iwwersetze - translating. This, that I am now writing in English and Pennsylvania Dutch, is what we call translating.
Church - Karrich. Wie viel Leit gehn yuscht in die Karrich fer ihre scheene Gleeder weise?
Karrich - church. How many people go to church for the purpose of exhibiting their fine clothes?
Jigger - Dramm. Seller Mann nemmt alli Mariye regularly sei Dramm mit Bitters.
Dramm - jigger. That man takes regularly every morning his jigger with bitters.
Cellar - Keller. Geh gschwind nunner in der Keller un bring en Schtick Budder ruff.
Keller - cellar. Go quickly down into the cellar and bring up a piece of butter.
Children - Kinner. Am letschte Sunndaag waare mehner as ee hunnert Kinner in der Sunndaag-Schul.
Kinner - children. On last Sunday there were more than a hundred children in the Sunday-School.
Bran - Kleie. Wer sich unner die Kleie mixe-t den fresse die Sei.
Kleie - bran. Whoever mixes himself with bran will be eaten up by hogs.
Head - Kopp. Der Daniel Webster waar en Mann, ass en arrig grosser Kopp ghatt hot - un er waar kee Dummkopp.
Kopp - head. Daniel Webster was a man who had a very big head - and he was no chuckle head.
Live - leb. Ich expect net mei Pennsilfaani Deitsche Lessons zu vergesse so lang ich leb.
Leb - live. I don't expect to forget my Pennsylvania Dutch lessons as long as I live.
Laughable - lecherlich. Es iss kee Critter, ass so lecherlich iss as en Monkey.
Lecherlich - laughable. There is no animal that is as laughable as a monkey.
Liar - Liegner. Was der Muss verursacht hot waar des: Der Mann hot der Neger en Liegner gheese, un dann hot der Neger ihn um gschlaage.
Liegner - liar. What caused the muss was this: The man called the negro a liar, and then the negro knocked him down.
Small - glee. Ee glee Schtick iss leicht gelese.
Glee - small. A small article is easily read.
Girls - Meed. Heitichdaags hot 's schier gaar kee Meed meh, awwer Ladies - sell iss meh stylish.
Meed - girls. Nowadays we have scarcely any more girls, but ladies - that is more stylish.
Flies - Mucke. Am Schliddefaahre iss es fer kee use, ass mir der Gaul baddert mit 'm Muckegaarn.
Mucke - flies. When sleigh riding there is no use in bothering the horse with a fly net.
Useful - nitzlich. Die Schtudy vun Pennsilfaani Deitsch iss net yuscht fer ornament, awwer es iss nitzlich. Es is aa yuscht en Zeits-froge wann es die Schprooch vun der Welt sei watt.
Nitzlich - useful. The study of Pennsylvania Dutch is not merely ornamental, but useful. It is only a question of time when it will be the language of the world.
Fool - Narr. Alles in der Welt hot sei use, awwer die use fer en Narr is yuscht noch net ausgfunne.
Narr - fool. Everything in the world is for some use, but the use of a fool is not yet discovered.
Wet - nass. Allemol as es reggnt gebts aa nass Wedder.
Nass - wet. Everytime it rains the weather becomes wet.
Out - naus. Wer sich net beheeft in der Karrich den dutt mir graad zum Haus naus.
Naus - out. Whoever won't behave in church is forthwith put out of the house.
Breath - Odem. So lang as en Mann sei Odem ziegt, so lang iss aa Hoffung fer sei Lewe.
Odem - breath. As long as a man draws his breath, so long there is hope for his life.
Very - Arrig. Pennsilfaani Deitsh leese un schtudy-e geht arrig leicht, un plessierlich.
Arrig- -very. Studying and reading Pennsylvania Dutch goes very easily and pleasantly.
Foreigner - Auslender. Die Deitsche auslender sin gut am hoch Deitsch, awwer Pennsilfaani Deitsch misse sie laerne.
Auslender - foreigner. The Dutch foreigners are good for High German, but they must learn the Pennsylvania Dutch.
Pepper - Peffer. Die Lewwerwascht sin gaar net fit zu esse except sie hen blendi Peffer.
Peffer - pepper. Liver puddings are not fit to eat unless they have plenty of pepper.
Whistling - peife. Peife iss all recht unner gewissi Umschtande. Anner ass peift am sei driwwe odder am Schtall ausmischde iss fer common en mannierlicher Mann. Awwer suppose en Parre deet Yankee Doodle peife an der Leich, die weil sie die Laad ins Graab losse deede - was deede die Trauerer un ihre Freind denke vum peife?
Peife - Whistling. Whistling is all right under certain circumstances. One who whistles while driving hogs or engaged cleaning stables may be regarded a mannerly man. But suppose a person would whistle Yankee Doodle at a funeral whilst they are letting down the coffin, what would the mourners and their friends think of the whistling?
Coat - Rock. Fer en reschpectabl-i appearance mache geh in der Gleederschtor un kaaf der en feiner neier Rock.
Rock - coat. To make a respectable appearance go to the clothing store and get yourself a fine new coat.
Silk - Seide. Am End iss nix scheeners fer die Fraa uff dress-e as feiner schwartzer Seide.
Seide - silk. After all, there is nothing more beautiful to dress up a woman than fine black silk.
Shooting - schiese. Ich duh nix meh enjoy-e, ass nausgeh wildi Ende un Badriesel schiese.
Schiese - shooting. I enjoy nothing more than going out shooting wild ducks and partridges.
Snakes - Schlange. Es iss nix in der Welt, ass ich arger* hass as Schlange.
Schlange - snakes. There is nothing in the world that I detest more than snakes.
Rockingchair - Schockelschtul. Fer 'n reel guder Sitz geb mir, vor allem, en first-rater Schockleschtul.
Schockelschtul - rockingchair. For a real good seat, give me,.above all, a first-rate rocking-chair.
Hog - Sau. En Sau iss en Sau, un kee Mann vun gudem mensche Verschtand deets der Sau vorschmeise, ass sein Sau iss.
Sau - hog. A hog is a hog, and no man of good human sense would cast it up to a hog on account his hogish nature.
Teaspoon - Teeleffel. En Teeleffel iss net arrig gross, awwer en Teeleffelvoll arsenic iss blenti fer en grossi Leich reese in der Familye.
Teeleffel - teaspoon. A teaspoon isn't very large, but a teaspoonful of arsenic is plenty to get up a large funeral in the family.
Oxen - Oxe. Fetti Oxe afford-e first rate-i Middel fer hungeriche Leit.
Oxe - oxen. Fat oxen afford excellent remedies for starving people.