Come Ahead Back

Some who know me have probably experienced a tiny bit of what I call Pennsylvania backwards talk. I'm certainly not like I used to be. I came across this little book today while going through some of my folks old things. If you click on the image to enlarge it, you can read some of the examples on the cover. I was born in Pennsylvania, but did not live there very long, however some of the dialect and accent went with my folks when we left.

The inside cover reads, in part:

THE AMAZING PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH DIALECT

Many Pennsylvania Dutch people still speak the language of their forefathers, who came to America in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is the "Deitsch" of the Rhineland in Germany, sprinkled with words from Switzerland and a few from English. It is a language of homely expressions and humor. The dialect varies a bit from county to county in Pennsylvania but the differences are not many and most Dutchman can understand each other.

We were not true Pennsylvania Dutch, though I suppose it could be argued we were because we were Lutheran, and some of the language seemed to be picked up along the way. I worked with a woman for a few years who was from the Harrisburg area, and she really spoke that way. Her father could speak it fluently. I often wonder about the future of the dialect and if it will hang on. I tend to doubt it, but I am not exposed to it any longer.

Another thing that I really appreciate are Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs. We have a small one on our barn. The Unicorns Hex which represents peace and contentment. I don't share the religious aspect of those folks, but I do feel connected to it. As time goes by I know I am losing what little of this I had and now I have this odd New England accent occasionally laced with some old Pennsylvania heritage.