LL-L: "Plautdietsch" LOWLANDS-L, 24.MAR.2002 (02) [E]

[Sandy Fleming]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 24.MAR.2002 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
 Rules: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/rules.html>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic, Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
=======================================================================

Dear Lowlanders,

On 23rd March Eldo Neufeld wrote:
> Subject: Mennonite linguist heritage
>
> In my past experience we have often called it "Netherlandic-Mennonite
> Plautdietsch," and I'm wondering also whether that is a proper name for
it,
> as well as "Mennonite Low Saxon."
> Eldo Neufeld

The Mennonites from Russia, now in America, can correctly
be described as (originally) Netherlandic Mennonites. The
majority of them trace their their lineage back some 450 years
to the Netherlands - that is: today's political Netherlands,
Belgium and the Northwest corner (East Friesland) of what
is now Germany.

However, the Plautdietsch dialect that they now speak is
probably more correctly referred to as an Eastern Low
Saxon or Low Prussian dialect (or dialect group),
which Mennonites adopted during their sojourn of about
250 years in West Prussia. It was at that time spoken by
most of the general population there, particularly in the
Marienburger (Grosses)Werder of the Vistula Delta.

The Mennonites comprised no more than 10% of  that
Plautdietsch-speaking population. By migrating to closed
settlements in Russia in the aftermath of the East Prussian
takover in 1772, they preserved their Plautdietsch. Most
of the population remaining in West Prussia eventually lost
their dialect(s) to educational and language reforms
introduced by Frederick the Great of East Prussia.

Thus, Plautdietsch has become known as Mennonite
Plautdietsch, even though also spoken by a smaller number
of Catholic and Lutheran settlers who similarly migrated to
Russia and then to America.

Cheers!

Reuben Epp

==================================END===================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
  Please submit contributions to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Contributions will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l" are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
=======================================================================