Earl Haag's Pennsylvania German Column, Es Neinuhr Schtick,
appears weekly
in "Schuylkill County's premier community newspapers"...
The Call, The Press-Herald and the West Schuylkill Herald.
His column is reproduced here through the
courtesy of Earl Haag and of these newspapers.
Until his recent retirement, Professor Earl C. Haag
served as Associate Professor of German and English Composition
at the Pennsylvania State University, Schuylkill Campus.
Author of A Pennsylvania German Reader and Grammar (1982),
he edited A Pennsylvania German Anthology (1988), and compiled
the recently-published One Hundred Years: An Index of Publications
of The Pennsylvania German Society.
Scores of spelling systems have been used by writers
of Pennsylvania German throughout the dialect's history.
Professor Haag normalizes the spelling to conform to
the "Buffington/Barba System," officially adopted by
The Pennsylvania Society. This system is based substantially on Standard German, including capitalization of all nouns.
En Pennsylvaanisch Deitsch Yaahr (A
Pennsylvania Dutch Year)
is a book consisting of a year of Professor
Haag's columns (dual language: Pennsylvania
German with English translation), based on the
four seasons and twelve months of the year.
Also included in this book is a helpful chart on
"Pennsylvania German Sounds," with English
equivalents.
The book is available for $9.95 plus SH, from
The Pennsylvania German Society.
Der Alt Professor
Es Neinuhr Schtich
By Earl C. Haag
1999-1
Ihr liewe Leit:
Daarrich es Yaahr 1999 warre mer
efders Linye aussem "Unser
Pennsylvaanisch-Deitscher
Kallenner" (UPDK) lese. Der
Kallenner waar vum Henry A.
Schuler, "Der Kallennermann,"
(1850-1908) gschriwwe un waar
1905 in Allentown gedruckt warre.
Der aerscht Satz fer der Yenner
lest "Der Yenner iss der aerscht
Munet, weil's Yaahr mit aafangt."
Sell, glaawwich, iss en guder
Aafang, schiergaar besser ass
gut!
Awwer dann schreibt der Schuler
ebbes ass uns indressiere kennt:
"Es Neiyaahrschiesse iss en alder
Gebrauch wu noch viel uffghalde
watt do rum. Ver alders hot sich en
Paerdi uffgernacht, hen die Flinde
gelaade, un sin vun Haus zu Haus
gange fer die Leit es Neiyaahr
aazuwinsche. Eener hot als en
langer Wunsch auswennich gsaat,
un warm er faddich waar, henn sie
es gnalle losse.
"Noh henn die Leit.die
Neiyaahrschitz ins Haus
kummelose, un henn sie getriedt
mit Ebbel, Kuche, Woi un n so
Dings. Sell Neiyaahraawinsche
waar schee, awwer `s iss gans aus
Faeschen nau."
Awwer wie hot so en
Neiyaahrwunsch gelaudt? In seim
Buch "Am Schwatze Baer" gebt
uns der Lloyd Moll en iwweraus
gudes Beischpiel:
Ich winsch eich in dem Haus
All's Glick in daere Welt,
Mit Gsundheet macht's nix aus
Wie reich reich du bischt mit Geld.
Ken Grankheet soll dich lege,
Ken Schmaerze sollscht du leide,
Un Druwwel, do lach dewege;
Fer dich sin lauder Freide.
Dei Beem mit Obscht gelaade,
Die Nescht sin gans geboge,
Dei Graut brauscht net abblaade,
Die Keffer sin all verfloge.
Dei Frichde uffem Feld,
Die schtehne all so dick,
Dei Aernt bring dir viel Geld,
Mei Wunsch, en groosses Glick.
Dei Kieh die gewwe Budder
In Glumbe goldegeel;
`S iss yedes Kalb' en Mudder
Un des iss unne Fehl;
Dei Sei, die solle waxe
Viel heecher wie die Benne;
Dei Hinkel immer gaxe,
So dass sie lege kenne.
Mer sin noch net faddich mit dem
do Wunsch. Un wann mer neegscht
Woch weidermache, warre mer
ausfinne wie en Neiyaahrwunsch
laudt wann die Winscher net viel
geliebt sin.
Un nau winscht der alt Professer
eich all en glicklich neies Yaar!
Macht's gut, ihr liewe Leser
Der Alt Professer
Dear people:
Throughout the year 1999 we will
often read lines from "Our
PennsylvaniaGerman Almanac"
(OPGA). The almanac was written
by Henry A. Schuler, "The
Almanac Man" (18501908), and
was printed in Allentown in 1905.
The first sentence for January
reads "January is the first month,
because the year starts with it."
That, I believe, is a good
beginning—almost better
than good!
But then Schuler writes something
that could interest us: "Shooting
in the new year is an old cus torn
that is still kept up around here.
Years ago a party *would be
made up, the rifles were loaded,
and they went from house to
house to wish in the new year for
the people. One of them would
say a long wish by heart, and
when he was finished, they let go
a shot.
"Then the people let the shooters
come into the house and treated
them with apples, cake, wine and
such things. That kind of wishing
in the new year was nice, but it is
now entirely out of fashion."
But how did such a new year's
wish sound? In his book, "At the
Black Bear," Lloyd Moll
(1879-1944) gives us an
especially good example:
I wish you in this house
All the happiness in the world,
With health it makes no difference
How rich you are with money.
No sickness shall fell you,
No pain shall you endure,
And trouble, just laugh about it;
For you are only joys.
Your trees loaded with fruit,
The branches are all bent down,
Your cabbage you needn't deleaf,
The bugs have all flown off.
Your grain in the fields,
It. stands all so thick,
The harvest brings you much
money,
My wish, great happiness (luck).
Your cows, they give butter
In clumps golden yellow;
Every calf is a mother
And that's without fail;
Your pigs they shall grow
Much hgiher than their pens;
Your hens always cackle,
So that they can lay.
We are not yet finished with this
wish. And when we continue next
week, we will find out how a new
year's wish sounds when the
wishers are not liked.
And now the old Professor wishes
you all a happy new year!
Take care, dear readers.
The Old Professor