LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.04.20 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 20.APR.2002 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: erek gass <egass at caribline.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.04.19 (11) [E]

And, here in Pennsylvania in the USA, I've watched my own Deitsch
("Pennsylvania Dutch") language go from a living, vibrant everyday
language to near oblivion in my lifetime.  Although the origins of the
demise were cast by German-hating WEoodrow Wilson (during WWI, he
discouraged the use of German in churches and schools as "unpatriotic"),
it was an active language when I was a boy.  Then no one hated us or our
language.  Rather we were "accepted" out of our language because it was
necessary to speak English, and not necessary to speak Deitsch.  It has
been dying from disuse and neglect, not from any concerted effort to
destroy it.  It is now used mostly by the Anabaptist ("Plain People")
sects amongst themselves.  The majority of us Pennsylvania Dutchmen
(Lutherans and Reformests) have simply abandoned it.

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language varieties

Erek, you wrote (above):

> Although the origins of the demise were cast by German-hating WEoodrow > Wilson (during WWI, he discouraged the use of German in churches and > schools as "unpatriotic"), it was an active language when I was a boy.

And then:

> It has been dying from disuse and neglect, not from any concerted effort > to destroy it.  It is now used mostly by the Anabaptist ("Plain People") > sects amongst themselves.  The majority of us Pennsylvania Dutchmen > (Lutherans and Reformests) have simply abandoned it.

There appears to be a bit of a contradiction here.  It may be true that
American German speakers have been given up their language apparently
"voluntarily."  But the anti-German ("German" = "Nazi" = "un-American")
campaign you mentioned may very well have kicked off this massive
abandoning of the language and anything vaguely "German," including
family names (within one of the USA's largest majorities).  It may very
well have been the kick in the guts that triggered off a tradition of
shame and self-hatred that necessitated the abandonment of the language.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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