The reader of PG. may be puzzled with 'ma' as used in "ous so ma subject ... mit ma neia Rail Road" (Rauch); 'fun mǝ' or 'fun ǝmǝ,' Ger. dative von einem, Old High German 'vone einemo;' G. dem, Ohg. 'demo;' G. meinem, Gothic 'meinamma,' which accounts for the final PG. vowel. Miss Bahn writes it 'mah'—

"'S is noch so 'n anre glaener drup, 's iss noch so 'n anre gleenǝr drǝp,
Mit so mah grosse dicke kup, mit soo mǝ grossǝ dikkǝ kǝp,
Der doh uf English screech-owl haest, dær doo uf eng-lisch 'skriitsch-aul' heest,
Der midde drin hut ah sei nesht." dær middǝ drin hǝt aa sei nescht.

There is yet such another little fellow, with such a large thick head, this here in English is called 'screech-owl,' the middle therein [of the tree] has also its nest.

Remarking on "grosse dicke kup" in the second line, my reverend friend Ziegler sends me the following declensions of the united article and adjective. The dative is used for the genitive, as will appear in the chapter on Syntax.

Nom., Accus. ǝn ('n) grosser dicker kopp,
Dat., Gen. ǝmǝ ('mǝ) grossǝ dickǝ kopp.

Singular.
Nom. der root wei˛ . . . . . iss guut. The red wine is good.
Gen. dem rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . sei˛ farb is schee˛.
Dat. dem rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hab ich 's tsu fǝrdankǝ.
Acc. dii rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hat ær gedrunkǝ.

Plural.
Nom. dii rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . sin guut. The red wines are good.
Gen. dennǝ rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . iir farb etc. (G. der rothen Weine Farbe ist schön.)
Dat. dennǝ rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hab ich 's etc. (G. den rothen Weinen.)
Acc. dii rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hat ær, etc.

Nom., Accus. ǝn ('n) grosser dicker kopp,
Dat., Gen. ǝmǝ ('mǝ) grossǝ dickǝ kopp.

Singular.
Nom.der root wei˛ . . . . . iss guut. The red wine is good.
Gen.dem rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . sei˛ farb is schee˛.
Dat.dem rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hab ich 's tsu fǝrdankǝ.
Acc.dii rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hat ær gedrunkǝ.

Plural.
Nom.dii rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . sin guut. The red wines are good.
Gen.dennǝ rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . iir farb etc. (G. der rothen Weine Farbe ist schön.)
Dat.dennǝ rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hab ich 's etc. (G. den rothen Weinen.)
Acc.dii rootǝ wei˛ . . . . . hat ær, etc.

FOOTNOTES:

[15] Of words not occurring in print, the Swiss, Bavarian, and Suabian form bruntsen replaces harnen and its synonyms.

[16] Seemingly akin to Swiss ammeli, mammeli (a child's sucking-glass), whence mämmelen (to like to drink). G. amme (a wet-nurse), in Bavaria, also a mother.

[17] PG. des kalb sukt (this calf sucks,) G. saugt.