Two questions

[Dennis R. Preston]

This language and its influence on English is very well-studied
indeed. The following persons will help you get to the bottom of it.

Joe Salmons, Univ. of Wisconsin Madison
Steve Hartman Kaiser, Ohio State
Silke Van Ness, SUNY Albany

dInIs

>First, the word "dutchy" (presumably from Pennsylvania Dutch, i.e.,
>German) is used in my family to describe a child who has not yet mastered
>English construction or who may be a bit slow. I suspect it may be
>regional, but I can't recall hearing it outside the family. Does this
>word have any legs?
>
>Second, my great-grandfather is described as speaking with a heavy German
>accent. I have finally found his lineage and learned that he was fourth
>generation in this country, the family having lived in Bucks County,
>Pennsylvania. My understanding is that the Pennsylvania Deutch colonies
>were well west of Philadelphia, and though there certainly may have been
>people of PA Dutch decent elsewhere, it would seem to me that they would
>have lost the speech. Are there any historians of this dialect who might
>know to what extent it might have existed in Bucks County in the 19th
>Century?