Dying dialect gets a voice

[malkin767]

UT professor works to help speakers in Fredericksburg preserve Texas German

Comments

[deadrose]

*nod* I'm descended from a group of North Dakota 'Germans from Russia'. My father spoke German as his only language until he started school, which was also about the time WWII started revving up seriously, so that speaking German publically was highly frowned upon.

The Germans from Russia dialect is also very distinct, to the point where my father had to actually study hard to learn proper German in university. His dialect seems to be closest to Old Order Mennonite/Amish dialects, but he can also manage a fair bit of Yiddish.

[stacyinthecity]

My great grandparents on my dad's side (both of his parents) are also Germans from Russia. :) One set of them is in my icon. My dad never learned German, and my grandparents only know a few words here and there. Sad.

[moonlights_lair]

I live in Ontario, right in the heart of a Mennonite community. They speak a very unique (Low) German dialect and they welcome other Mennonites from more diverse backgrounds to join their community as well (Bolivian and Mexican ‘German Speaking’ Mennonites)

It is quite a ‘trip’ to hear them speak when you have an understanding of ‘high’ German!...LOL

M.Night.

[gilmoure]

Here in New Mexico, it's only my cousins from my oldest aunt who still speak Spanish. We've grown up with it and I can understand my aunts and uncles but in my generation, we just don't speak it anymore. Turns out our Spanish is also a hill-dialect, mixed with a little Landino that's different from the Spanish of Mexico and elsewhere. My mother is now the oldest person in our family (64) and she remembers from when she was a kid, the old people spoke the 'funny Spanish'. We assume that was Landino as the old folks would separate and pray apart on Friday evening, with both men and women wearing shawls, even though they'd also go to church on Sunday together. Weird. And when it's gone, it's gone.