Amish Language, Sorting Fact From Fiction | The Amish Cook from …
I posted an article on this site recently about a Hutterite language project and its aims to preserve a written form of their dialect. Similar efforts have been tried by people studying the Amish. But what is Amish language? I’ve often compared the Amish language to Cajun French down in Louisiana several generations ago (the language really isn’t commonly spoken anymore, except as novelty and by some very old-timers). Cajun French, like Amish German, morphed from its mother tongue into an almost unrecognizable gumbo of English, Creole, and French by the mid-20th century. If a Parisian were to find a fluent speaker of Cajun French deep in a bayou somewhere today, they would probably have a very difficult time conversing. Amish dialects of German have also evolved to the point that someone from Bavaria could probably converse with a Pennsylvania Dutch person in the United States, but it would likely be a halting dialogue with difficultly understanding. Amish German has become infused with English words and has evolved far from its original language. Almost all Amish speak and understand English with little difficultly, although there is often a subtle, but noticeable, German accent in their voices. whenever I spend even a few hours with the Eichers, I find my voice absorbing their Swiss lilt. Most Amish write quite well in English, some do know written German grammar, but they are intelligent enough not to mix the two up. Amish education is very well-grounded in bilingualism.
Now, in works of popular fiction, you often have Amish people portrayed as speaking a somewhat different kind of English. But these are all simply “literary devices.” Literary devices are common tools authors use to differentiate characters and make a read more entertaining. Reading a Beverly Lewis novel, for instance, where an Amish character says “Gut day, I’m goin’ to go fishin’ now” makes for fun reading and easily identifies a character as Amish. a novel about the Amish wouldn’t provide as much of an escapist experience if the author wrote “Good day, I’m going to go fishing now.” Literary devices are a fine, acceptable way for an author to make a point, but one always needs to know the difference so they can separate fact from fiction. But don’t take it from me. Scan the pages of the Amish newspaper, the Budget. Hundreds and hundreds of letters from Amish authors across the country appear on its pages each week. I’ve never seen a letter from an Amish scribe that employs Beverly Lewis-type literary devices with folksy tidbits sprinkled in such as “Gut day”, “What a blessin’” or Jah. These are all fictional literary devices, again, perfectly acceptable in the world of make-believe………
Amish Language, Sorting Fact From Fiction | the Amish Cook from …
Related posts:
- If fact is stranger than fiction, How can you say God is not logical when fact is stranger than fiction?
- Amish Grace on LMN March 28 « Sister Rose's My Movies Weblog
- How to Learn (But Not Master) Any Language in 1 Hour
- Less Talk More Rock: The Language of Games
- Using Natural Language To Improve Conversion Rates