I chose to read the article "The Peculiar Language of the Amish" not only for its interesting title, but also because I find the Amish culture compelling and interesting. Here in Southern Illinois, in fact, here on the outskirts of Carbondale are a group of local Mennonites. Mennonites are not exactly the same as the Amish, but their upbringing, beliefs, and religion are fairly similar.
In the article, Amish language is discussed at great length. They speak a blend of English and Pennsylvania Dutch or Pennsylvania German with every fifth or so word in English. Because of this immersion of English in their language, American people can typically follow along with what they are saying in the flow of conversation. However, PA Dutch is a highly unwritten language. Typically, when the Amish send letters or write they compose them in English. Likewise, English is used as a base language in their schools. However, growing up, Amish children do not know or speak English until they reach school where they are taught their lessons in English.
The Amish are not only bi-lingual, however, but tri-lingual. They can also speak High German, which is what most of their Bibles are written in and what most of their church services are spoken in. The Amish have a very advanced knowledge of Germanic languages because of this.
The Amish are not the only ones who speak PA Dutch, however. As I mentioned before, Mennonites also speak PA Dutch, as well as non-Amish in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania.
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I thought this was really interesting. Especially because we have Mennonites in our town! I had no idea that Mennonites and Amish people spoke a different language before I read this article. I've seen them on back roads and occasionally in Wal-Mart very late at night (oddly enough), and yet had no idea they spoke another language.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's really just fascinating and adds to their cultural diversity. Our lack of awareness, as Americans, makes me think that Amish culture should be more explored. However, I feel as though the Amish people would not really appreciate that...
The concept of this article was intriguing, because I never knew that Amish people did not speak much English. I have been around Amish people before, yet I had never heard any of them talk out loud. I still had some unanswered questions though. I was curious as to whether all groups of Amish people in the state of Illinois speak PA Dutch and High German. I also wonder whether the Amish people in Illinois speak the same languages as the Amish people in Pennsylvania. Also, if PA Dutch is such an unwritten language, where exactly did they learn it from? It is also strange to think that some of the Mennonites in my town could potentially be speaking these different dialects as well.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with an Amish community just outside my own. Occasionally, I would run into these people. You can tell they have an accent in their English. It does sound very similar to a German accent. I didn't make the distinction, until I read the article. I think their language is more to seperate themselves from the outside world than an accident that has carried on.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention in my original post that Amish people make really cheap furniture. The quality is also top notch. I worked for a company that would by a bunch of it from them. The company would then mark up the price and sell it.
ReplyDeleteThis article is interesting. I had no idea that Amish people spoke a different language, let alone two different languages. I find it odd that an Amish community that resides on the outskirts of English speaking towns, have children that do not know English until they reach school age. It is interesting that they are trilingual, but I wonder why, if most Amish speak high German, they do not write in German, and choose instead to write in English when they send letters.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting to find out that the Amish are tri-lingual ! Its actually also interesting that the Amish dont speak English til they attend school where they learn it. I find that interesting because it seems that they catch on very quickly when it comes to language. I was wondering how long do the Amish children take to catch on and speak English?? And im sure that the parents would know how to speak the English language so I'm wondering why the parents wouldnt teach the children English or some form of English themselves?
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting article because I lived in Allentown, Penn. there were a lot of Amish people around town and you really tell them apart from the non-Amish people just by the way they talked. I also found it interesting that they do not learn how to speak English until they are in school.
ReplyDeleteThis was very intersting to me, because when I thought of Amish people I believe it to be more a just a culture thing, a different way of life. I had no idea that their language was different in certain ways. I think it's Kind of strange that the children don't learn how to speak English until they are able to attend school. I would think this could be difficult,and would take longer for them to grasp and understand English since they waited so long. I'm very curious if the children didn't know English, what language were they use to in their household? Also what is the point of the Amish speaking every fifth or so word in German, wouldn't it be easier to just speak in German.
ReplyDeleteI've never encountered any Amish people so all of this is new to me. I also didn't know that they do not speak English until they reach school. it's interesting that they are tri-lingual and live in America because there aren't too people who can say the same.i think that they culture should be explored more as well.
ReplyDeleteI was not aware that the Amish had such a hybrid tongue, utilizing both German and English. Along with their speech usage peculiarities, I find it fascinating that their Bibles are in German, but they use English in other written correspondence. The only other tri-lingual culture I ever encountered was in Tampa, where there is a tri-lingual newspaper that has articles in English, Italian and Spanish. The individual stories utilize the language directed at the particular demographic, similar to how the Amish use German in church and English with other literary needs. But Tampa has not created a hybrid speech such as the Amish use.
ReplyDeleteI, like everyone else, am astonished to learn that the Amish speak three different languages. I just assumed that since they grew up around us, they spoke primarily English the way that we do. It's also interesting to note that they do not learn English until they attend school-- most people around here learn English from the time they are toddlers. I agree with Janelle that it would be fascinating to learn more about their culture, but like she said, I think they would be very opposed to letting us intrude.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware that Amish people spoke or read anything other than English. I always found it sort of strange when so many other cultures and people can speak more than one language that America's education system doesn't seem to emphasize that. I remember taking a little Spanish in elementary school for a year, a year of Spanish in high school, and two summer courses at a community college. I never got into advanced Spanish, and I never had to. Anyway that was some interesting info.
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be very interesting, because my family comes in contact with Amish people or Mennonites very often. I live close to a town that is predominantly of the Amish culture. Because of this, the Amish and Mennonites often have sales of their baked goods in our town. Their food is amazing. When purchasing their food, I never noticed they did not speak clear English, so I found that only one out of five words was in English to be very interesting. Although, it does make sense. I also found it very interesting that they can speak German as well.
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