| PAGE | |
| “Pennsylvania Dutch” (properly German) | [11] |
| Language | [11] |
| Religion | [13] |
| History of a Sect | [18] |
| Politics | [20] |
| Festivals | [22] |
| Weddings | [24] |
| Quiltings | [29] |
| “Singings” | [31] |
| Farming | [33] |
| Farmers’ Wives | [36] |
| Holidays | [45] |
| Public Schools | [47] |
| Manners and Customs | [49] |
| Additional Remarks | [53] |
| An Amish Meeting | [59] |
| Swiss Exiles | [70] |
| Books | [71] |
| Menno Symons | [74] |
| William of Orange | [75] |
| Persecution in Zurich and Berne | [78] |
| The States-General | [83] |
| Alsace and the Palatinate | [87] |
| William Penn | [88] |
| “Connystogoe” | [91] |
| Harmony among Sects | [95] |
| Mennonite Church History | [99] |
| Traditions | [100] |
| Russian Mennonites | [102] |
| Mennonites in Germany | [106] |
| The Dunker Love-Feast | [112] |
| Electing a Preacher | [119] |
| The Feet-Washing | [123] |
| The Kiss of Peace | [125] |
| The Communion | [126] |
| River Brethren | [134] |
| Brinser Brethren | [136] |
| Ephrata | [138] |
| Conrad Beissel | [138] |
| Peter Miller | [145] |
| Publications | [152] |
| Zinzendorf’s Visit | [155] |
| The Buildings now standing | [163] |
| Old Clock | [166, 170] |
| Bethlehem and the Moravians | [173] |
| Festivals | [176] |
| The Graveyard | [183] |
| Old Recollections | [185] |
| Old Buildings | [198] |
| Miscellaneous Remarks | [200] |
| Historical Note | [203] |
| Schwenkfelders | [206] |
| Meeting-House and Graveyard | [207] |
| Books | [210] |
| History | [212] |
| Journey to America | [224] |
| Anniversary or Yearly Meeting | [226] |
| Customs | [230] |
| Doctrines | [234] |
| Additional Remarks | [239] |
| A Friend | [244] |
| Cousin Jemima | [260] |
| The Miners of Scranton | [268] |
| Superstitions | [270] |
| Hardships | [272] |
| Amusements | [274] |
| Wives and Children | [281] |
| Fare | [285] |
| Aspirations | [288] |
| Culture | [292] |
| Strikes | [295] |
| Irish Farmers | [304] |
| A Farm-House in the County Cork | [307] |
| Another Farmer | [325] |
| A Castle | [327] |
| The Southwest | [333] |
| Michael McBride | [337] |
| To and in Dublin | [340] |
| English | [344] |
| Farms and Farmers | [350] |
| The Church and Rector | [356] |
| Dissenters | [360] |
| Taxes and Tithes | [363] |
| Schools | [365] |
| Miscellaneous | [372] |
| Peculiarities of Speech | [379] |
| Appendix | [381] |
| The Pennsylvania German Dialect | [381] |
| Proper Names | [391] |
| Politics | [393] |
| Yankees | [394] |
| Thrift | [395] |
| Charms and Superstitions | [397] |
| Medical Superstitions | [401] |
| Holidays | [404] |
| Easter | [404] |
| Halloween | [405] |
| Peltz Nickel | [407] |
| New Year | [407] |
| The Plainer Sects | [408] |
| The People Contrasted | [414] |
| Miscellaneous | [415] |
“PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.”
(PROPERLY GERMAN.)
I have lived for twenty years in the county of Lancaster, where my neighbors on all sides are “Pennsylvania Dutch.” In this article I shall try to give, from my own observation and familiar acquaintance, some account of the life of a people who are little known outside of the rural neighborhoods of their own State, who have much that is peculiar in their language, customs, and belief, and of whom I have learned to esteem the native good sense, friendly feeling, and religious character.
LANGUAGE.
The tongue which these people speak is a dialect of the German, but they generally call it and themselves “Dutch.”
For the native German who works with them on the farm they entertain some contempt, and the title “Yankee” is with them a synonyme for cheat. As must always be the case where the great majority do not read the tongue which they speak, and live in contact with those who speak another, the language has become mixed and corrupt. Seeing a young neighbor cleaning a buggy, I tried to talk with him by speaking German. “Willst du reiten?” said I (not remembering that reiten is to ride on horseback). “Willst du reiten?” All my efforts were vain.
As I was going for cider to the house of a neighboring farmer, I asked his daughter what she would say, under the circumstances, for “Are you going to ride?” “Widdu fawray? Buggy fawray?” was the answer. (Willst du fahren?) Such expressions are heard as “Koock amul to,” for “Guck einmal da,” or “Just look at that!” and “Haltybissel” for “Halt ein biszchen,” or “Wait a little bit.” “Gutenobit” is used for “Guten Abend.” Apple-butter is “lodwaerrick,” from the German latwerge, an electuary, or an electuary of prunes. Our “Dutch” is much mixed with English. I once asked a woman what pie-crust is in Dutch, “Py-kroosht,” she answered.
Those who speak English use uncommon expressions, as,—“That’s a werry lasty basket” (meaning durable); “I seen him yet a’ready;” “I knew a woman that had a good baby wunst;” “The bread is all” (all gone). I have heard the carpenter call his plane she, and a housekeeper apply the same pronoun to her home-made soap.
A rich landed proprietor is sometimes called king. An old “Dutchman” who was absent from home thus narrated the cause of his journey: “I must go and see old Yoke (Jacob) Beidelman. Te people calls me te kink ov te Manor (township), and tay calls him te kink ov te Octorara. Now, dese kinks must come togeder once.” (Accent together, and pass quickly over once.)