Linguistically Speaking

Pennsylvania Dutch

Have a look at this homepage in Pennsylvania Dutch - I find it rather unusual!

www.deitscherei.org


"Pennsylvania German, or Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsilfaanisch- Deitsch, Pennsilfaani-Deitsch), is a German variety spoken by 150,000 to 250,000 people in North America. Speakers of the language can be found today mainly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana in the United states, and Ontario, Canada. The majority of speakers are either Amish or Old Order Mennonite. ...
The Amish are a tight-knit religious group, which ethnically are overwhelmingly of Swiss-German ancestry. Most Amish at home speak a distinctive High German dialect, although the so-called 'Swiss Amish' speak an Alemanic dialect that they call 'Swiss'."
(Wikipedia)

barbara... - 15. Jan, 11:26

Really an unusual website - and I wonder who made it? Some one who is no longer Amish, or in a more relaxed community - the stricter ones wouln't allow electricity etc., even less internet, would they?
The language is cool, though. I suppose this isn't the Swiss variety? It sounds/reads? more like a 'German' dialect to me.

si1ja - 16. Jan, 01:50

That's what I thought, too. Also because he refers to his language as German, and not Swiss. I've been looking for a 'Swiss' one, but haven't found one yet.
As far as I know, Pennsylvania Dutch is really only spoken by members of those religious groupings nowadays, and I therefore agree that the use of the internet is very unusual...
 
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