The letter b and its spirant (German w) both occur, and the latter often replaces b, in one region 'ich haw' (I have) replaces 'ich hab,' German ich habe, and 'nit' replaces 'net' (not), German nicht. The vowels of up and ope interchange, as in 'kǝch' or 'koch' (cook) 'nǝch' or 'noch' (yet); and it is difficult to determine whether the prefixes ge-and be-have the vowel of bet or but. Lastly, the nasal vowels are by some speakers pronounced pure. Should discrepancies be found upon these points, they are to be attributed rather to the dialect than to the writer—or to the two conjointly.
§ 2. The Vowels.
E. indicates English; G. German; SG. South German; PG. Pennsylvania German (or 'Dutch');.a preceding dot indicates what would be a capital letter in common print. It is used where capital forms have not been selected, as for æ.
a in what, not; PG. kat (G. gehabt) had; kats cat.
aa (ah[7]) in fall, orb; PG. haas hare; paar pair; haan (G. hahn) cock; tsaam (G. zaum) bridle.
a in aisle, height, out. In a few cases it is written â. See under the dipthongs.
æ (ä, e[1]) in fat; hær (G. Herr) Sir; dær (and d'r, G. der) the; hærn (G. hirn) brain; schtærn, pl. schtærnǝ (G. stern) star; mær (G. mähre) mare; ærscht (G. erst) first; wærts-haus (G. wirtshaus) inn.
ææ (ä, äh) in baa, the preceding vowel lengthened.[8] PG. bæær (G. bär) bear; kæær E. car.
e (ä, ö) in bet; PG. bet bed; net (G. nicht) not; apnémǝ (G. abnahme decline) PG. a wasting disease; het (G. hätte had), which, with some other words, will sometimes be written with ä (hätt) to aid the reader. In a few cases it is lengthened (as in thêre), when it is written ê, as in French.