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
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