German Dialect, Folklore, and Humor

Presented by Terry A. BattAugust 9, 2014

Dialects

• Germany – to Russia – to the U.S.

• Our “Dialekt” has survived at least 250 years

“Bergseit” and the “Wiesenseit”

“Badickseit” und die “Norter,” or “Platte (Plawt) Seit”

South of the Smokey Hill River“Die Shmoogey”

• Bender Hill• Pfeifer• Liebenthal• Milberger• Schoenchen• Loretto

Die Nort Seit

• Herzog (Victoria)

• Catherine-Severin-Hyacinth

• Munjour-Antonino

• Hays-Yocemento-Ellis

Others to the Party• Otis, Kansas (Die Bessarabian)

• Colorado-Windsor-Sterling-Fort Morgan-Fort Collins-Loveland

• Nebraska-Scottsbluff-Bayard-Mitchell-Minatare-Morrill

Flies

• Bergseit: Schnoaga

• Victoria: Migga

• Catherine: Fliege (Correct)

Mosquito

• Bergseit: Langbahne (English: Long Legs)

• Victoria: Migga (correct is “Mücke”)

• Catherine: Gross Fliegen (Big Flies!)

To Talk

• Bergseit: -schwätzen

• Victoria: -plauderen

• Catherine: -reden (correct)

“We Have”“Wir Haben”

• Bergseit: “Mir hen”

• Victoria: “Vir hawn”

• Catherine: “Wir hoon”

Verbs – Past Tense

• Bergseit: Ich hab schon gezza (I have eaten)

• Victoria: Ich hawn schon gess (no “e” or the “uh” sound at the end)

• Catherine: Ich hoon schone gessen

Anyting with “ein”• Bergseit: Awns (1), Shtaw (rock), Baw (leg), glaw (little), or

plural, “die glawna”) (usually no “n”) Example: Des stickt bloss awn Shtaw drin, und ich hawn so guschubt, dass my glawna Baw tut vay.” (“There’s only 1 rock sticking in there, and I pushed so hard, my little leg hurts!”

• Victoria: Aynes, (1), Shtain (rock), Bane (leg), glay (little), or plural, “die glayna” (the little ones) Example: “Des stickt nur aynes Shtain darin, und ich hoopt so guschuppt, dass my glayna Bayne tut vay.”

• Catherine: Eins, Stein, Bein, but, for little, they said, “gloane” Immaterial; they wouldn’t push anything!

Cuss Words

• Lutherans very seldom used the Lord’s Name in vain

• “Kizzle, Shhten, Dooner, Wedder!” (Literally, “Sleet, Stars, Thunder Weather!”)

• “Kreiz, Kizzle!” (Literally, “Cross, Sleet!”

More Swearing

• Catholics, on the other hand . . . . .

• “Yezzus, Mar-Yozef!”Also:

-Yes, Mun, Yozef!-Yes, Mareea-Yes, Mun-Yoaz

The Priest Must Have Heard Lots of Confessions . . . . !

• NA, SAKKKKKERMENT!

• Heilige Sakkerment!

• Gott Bewahr!

But both used . . . .

• Lieber Gott!

• Na, Gott im Himmel!

• Himmel, Heiland!

Accent:

Turning German Into (Very Bad) English

Dialect (Dialekt):

Turning German into Jibberish only other Germans will understand

Not “Once,” but “many”

• Ja = Yes

• Dialect: Ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja = also means “yes”

• Example: “Ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja dat’s rite!”

Examples of Accent

• HACE: A town in Kansas (Hays)• Dat: “That”• Runce: Flows• Back-a-duh: Not in the front• Krik: Not a River• GROTCH: Building where you park a car

“Dat Krik in Hace runce just back-a-duh Grotch!”

“Once”

• Ein mal – German for one time• Mal – in German means an “occurrence”• “Komm ein mal her,” means “Please come

here.”

• Dialect: Kommal herr!

• In English: “Come here once!”

More Dialect• “Hace haz a collitch named “Four Days!””

(Translation: Fort Hays State University is in Hays, Kansas)

• “Dat wetter got preddy damm colt when dat bank came up!” (Translation: High cumulus clouds caused a decrease in atmospheric temperatures)

• “I tink Bobby’s sdill down on da Schmidt place overdere on da feeld. I’ll take him hiz eats!” (Since Bobby is still tilling the soil on the former Schmidt farm, I shall transport his meal to him.)

• “Dem Nunce got da whole damm church pissed-off!” (The Sisters of St. Agnes had a disagreement with several parish members causing them to become upset)

• “Wood you shut up once? I can’t hear da dammm wetter!” (Translation: Please keep your visiting to a minimum until the local weather forecast is complete!)

• “Na ya, why don’t ju just go strate da Hell!” (Translation: I simply disagree with your viewpoint)

• “Ya, I don’t know dem peeple ya know.” (Translation: I am not acquainted with those individuals)

• “Ya, see I thought that’s who that wuz!” (Translation: I am acquainted with those individuals)

• “Doc, Minnie, Tina, Lena, Gib, Merf, dat wuz all da same famly!” (Translation: Dominic, Philomena, Albertine, Magdalena, Gilbert, and Marvin were siblings)

Humor . . . “Only we Germans from Russia ‘Get It’”

• How Many Volga German Jokes are there?

So Was der Hund

• So Was: “Something Like that”

Grandma Sophia

Church In English: The Lutherans version of “Vatican II”

Pastor Delvin and Sophia

Wedding Dance Mafia

The “Bender Hill Mafia”

Visit from the State Department

W. J. “Honey” Braun

• Baseball Park

• Cold April

The Bishop Visits

“Halo Statue”

Schoenchen, KansasChurch Meeting

Pastor Podzus

Dreieinigkeit (Trinity) – Einigkeit (Unity)

Friedens Kirche (Peace)

Brungardt’s Grocery Store

• Half a Head of Lettuce and Mr. Schmeidler

St. John’s Rest Home in Victoria

Catherine, Kansas

Ferdinand Dietz – and the “Petsi” Man

Leiker’s Basement and Catechism

Munjour Priest and Donkey

The Doctor

Kannst Du Beten? (Can you pray?)

“I Stole a Pig!”

Dot Liss and the Rooster

Sig Schwien . . . “Santy Claus”

Trinity Confirmation ClassThe First Two People on the Earth