LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.05.19 (10) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 19.May.2003 (10) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
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From: "Reuben Epp" <repp at silk.net>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.05.19 (03) [E]

> From: "Ben J. Bloomgren" <godsquad at cox.net>
> Subject: Mystery dialect
>
> Hello, Lowlanders, I was reading the bible tonight when I came upon a
> translation by Elmer Reimer. He reads the New Testament in
> "Plautdietsch." Upon listening to him, I could identify
> with much of it because of the similarities to English prepositions such
> as "daut, waut and the word Gott." What dialect is this? Please go to
> http://www.biblegateway.org and enter any
> passage in the New Testament. He does not have the Old Testament yet.
> Then "View text" and/or "Listen to this." Thanks.
> By the way, I am not imposing my beliefs on anyone. I simply want to see
> from where Mr. Reimer hails.
> Ben

From: "Reuben Epp" repp at silk.net
Subject: Mystery dialect

Dear Lowlanders,

Since Reimer's dialect is familiar to me I shall attempt to identify it.
I recently downloaded an appreciable portion of Reimer's Bible
translation and find it to be the same as my mother tongue.

Mine is the Low Saxon/Low German dialect as spoken in West
Prussia in about 1800. The variant of the aforementioned dialect
represented in Reimer's Bible translation is that of the former
Molotschna Mennonite Colony of New Russia (now Ukraine)
as spoken there by Mennonite colonists in the period between
1800 and 1870, before a pronunciational transition from
palatalized 'k' to palatalized 't' came into vogue. Those
Mennonites in Russia who migrated to the United States and
Canada during the 1870's escaped participation in the
pronunciational transition, therefore retained original palatalized
'k,' represented in writing by 'kj' in words such as 'ekj' and
'Kjoakj.'

This dialect in its various spoken forms is known as Plautdietsch.
It is not a separate language, but clearly an eastern Low Saxon/
Low German dialect, also identified as Low Prussian.

I do not know of Reimer's place of birth or where he now lives,
but his dialect tells me that the origins of his family must be similar
to mine. My forefathers came to America from the Molotschna
Colony of South (New) Russia in the 1870's.

Cheers!

Reuben Epp

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