Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck
(Originally published in the May 3, 1989 issue of The Shopping News)
WADDE VUM BUMBERNICKEL BILL
Just about the time Bischli-Gnippli was born in mid-February in 1925, something very significant happened in Lehigh County, PA. It was at that time that the late William S. Troxell, “der Bumbernickel Bill,” began to write regularly (several times a week) a Dutch column for The Allentown Morning Call. Our friend and mentor, J. William Frey, presented the historical background for the Bumbernickel Bill columns in the master’s thesis he wrote at the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois in 1939. Dr. Frey wrote as follows:
“In 1913, The Allentown Morning Call, a daily newspaper published in Allentown, Pennsylvania, began running a column several days a week written in Pennsylvania-German Dialect for the many readers in that region who speak the Dialect as their mother-tongue. This column was written by Solomon DeLong, whose pen name was “Obediah Grouthommel,” and consisted in the main of humorous anecdotes about the local people and comments on the general news of the day… “Obediah” continued writing his column until his death twelve years later, whereupon Bumbernickel Bill took up the work in 1925.”
Late in August of 1988, after Bischli-Gnippli returned from the Lancaster Hospital, having undergone angioplasty, he needed a light task which would enable him to get plenty of rest, yet at the same time give him a feeling of accomplishment. Since Xeroxed copies of the early years of the Bumbernickel Bill columns were available, Bischli un Gnippli took up Bumbernickel Bill’s first column, printed on February 9, 1925, and began to write out words of unusual interest on file slips. This project, begun the latter part of August in 1988, has now become a major part of our revision of Marcus Bachman Lambert’s PG Dictionary, which was published by the Pennsylvania German Society in 1924; thus we can be very sure that Lambert made no use of the Bumbernickel Bill columns.
We have learned as we continue this eight-month-old project that these B.B. columns constitute a very important source for hitherto unrecorded Dutch words, and colorful illustrations of how these and other Dutch words were used in sentences.
In this ECK, we would like to share some of these words with our SHOPPING NEWS readers and hope that you will find them interesting enough to respond. Perhaps you give the word another meaning, or you recall your grandparents using it.
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die Absicht – purpose
Alder Schwecher – weakness due to advanced age
aus/lese – to pick out
der Baaddroog – bathtub
die Baadschtubb – bathroom
die Baah – path. Die B. is gaar hesslich schlecht.
badeirlich – pitiable
Bambelwese – something that dangles(?)
Barye – bargain. In der B.
Batzelbaum schlagge – to somersault
Der Bauerewagge – farm wagon
bericht – informed. Der Weg is ich b. bin, kummt er net heit.
besonders – special. Hot’s eenich-ebbes b. gewwe mit em Clint?
es Blackich Fiewer = ???
die Butscherei – butchering
Butscher-Gscharr – butchering tools
doddlich warre – to become anxious. Es is ihm d. w. fer lanne schkeede.
Dreschdem – barn floor. Is it DER, DIE or ES Dreschdenn? Do other parts of the upper barn have “denn” in them???
ei/bisse, pp. eigebiesst – to suffer bodily harm (in an accident). Der Bill hot schier gaar eigebiesst wie er iwwer Kopp un Hals zu re grosse Gscharrweschschissel voll heese Supp neigschtatzt is.
die Feldschtiwwel, pl. – what kind of boots are these?
Gfalle duh – to do a favor. Er kann ken Nochber “Nee” saage, wann er gfrogt watt fer en G. d.
glitzere – to sparkle
grisselhafdich Wedder – ???
sich an der Heck halde – ??? Mir misse uns ball a. d. H. h.
die Heech – height
hehlinger – secretly (?)
der Hengel – bunch (of what?)
hinnedraa – on behind
hinnich ebber kumme – to get after someone. Der Bob is hinnich ihn kummer fer’m helfe Sei schlachde.
uff Hoffning lewe – live on hope
Hosseschlack – ???
iwwel ab sei – to be in bad shape
die Iwwerreck, pl. overcoats
im katzem – recently
der Kichedribbler – ???
der Leib – stomach, en leerer L.
noh/draage – to carry after
der Huffweg – the way up
es Offedeirl – Offedierli – ???
peffere – ???
raus/briehe – to hatch out
es Reiweise – ???
sarigfeldich – careful
schanbaarlich – terribly
die Schliddebaah – path for a sleigh, sled
Schmalz – lard
die Schpau-Baz – spittoon
Schtock – floor, uff em dridde Schtock.
schwatz fer die Aage warre – to get black before the eyes.
Es is ne s. f. d. A. w.
Sei-Fendu halde – to hold a pig auction
soiche – such. Wo in der Welt finne sie s. Maed?
uffgelebt – vivacious (?). en ganz annrer uffgelebter Mensch
uff/schtauche, pp. uffgschtaucht – ??? Er hot awwer gut acht-gewwe as er sie yoh net uffgschtaucht hot.
umleidlich – uncomfortable, disturbing
Unglick – misfortune. Awwer U. ball immer geht mit em Fische, so waar’s aa bei ihm gewest.
vannehar/geh – to go ahead. Der Billy hot gasst, ich muss v. fer die Schtrooss weisse.
oie Verennering – change. Sie lewe uff Hoffning es gebt mohl en V.
in Vermeege hawwe – ??? … Butscher-Gschaar as er in V. hot.
vor/kumme (+dative) – to seem to. Nau kann mer denke wie hatt as es ihne vorkummt.
die Vorsarig – ??? Der Eileschpiggel hot allemohl die Naas gebutzt uff die V. eb er sie gebloose hot.
der (Sense) Warf – ???
Wascht-Schiesser – ???
die Wedding – bet
der Wollhammel – ???
zamme/suche, pp. zammegsucht. – ??? Er hot all die Morning Calls zammegsucht fer selli ganz Woch.
die Zecke – ticks (?) Sie henke annanner as wie die Z. ziehle, pp. geziehlt – to aim. Der Harry hot geziehlt mit deim 32 un hot mohl die erscht Sau gschosse.
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We’d be delighted if all you word detectives out there in SHOPPING NEWS-Land could have a close look at these words and let us know what came to mind as you examined these words. Des dead us viel raushelfe!!!
May 3, 1989
Yuscht en Bischli-Gnippli
mit em Waddefresser