LL-L: "Happy Birthday!" LOWLANDS-L, 01.MAR.2000 (10) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L Administrator]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 01.MAR.2000 (10) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Happy Birthday!

Dear Lowlanders,

Great news of a great day for a great man on Lowlands-L: the eightieth
birthday of our own Reuben Epp (today, I believe, or is it tomorrow?)!

Reuben (repp at silk.net) wrote elsewhere:

> I clearly remember this day 80 years ago, when I was not yet born,
> but was about to be. Realizing how many birthday cakes I would be missing
> during my lifetime if I should relax and allow myself to be born that Leap
> Year day, I  toughed it out until after midnight, and was born the day
> following.
>
> Made it! Many cakes later!

Reuben has been a subscriber of Lowlands-L for most of its five years, and he
has been a great supporter and friend, having shared with us much of his vast
knowledge about Low German (Low Saxon) and other subjects.  I had the pleasure
of introducing the two Lowlanders and Low German speakers Reuben Epp and Clara
Kramer-Freudenthal to each other, long-distance between Norderstedt (Germany)
and Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada), and it is an even greater pleasure for
me to know that the two of them have become good friends in the meantime.
Each of them writes in their own Low German dialect, and they understand each
other well, despite centuries-old separation between the dialects and
transplantation of Plautdietsch from Western Prussia (nowadays Northern
Poland) via Eastern Europe and Siberia to the Americas.  Tant Clara turned 80
last October 3.  Now it is Reuben's turn.  So it's time to have a party on
Lowlands-L.

Of course, anyone who knows Reuben Epp even a little bit also knows that he is
a great expert in the area of his native Mennonite Low German (Plautdietsch).
He has been making some major contributions to popularizing knowledge about
Low German and especially Plautdietsch both inside and outside Mennonite
circles.  Most notable are these books of his:

Epp, Reuben (1993); _The Story of Low German & Plautdietsch: tracing a
language across the globe_; Hillsboro (USA): The Reader's Press
(psdirect at southwind.net)

Epp, Reuben (1996); _The Spelling of Low German & Plautdietsch: toward am
official Plautdietsch orthography_; Hillsboro (USA): The Reader's Press
(psdirect at southwind.net)

Epp, Reuben (1997); _Dit un jant opp Plautdietsch_ (This and That in Mennonite
Low German); Hillsboro (USA): The Reader's Press (psdirect at southwind.net);
ISBN 0-9638494-2-5; US $9.95

So, Reuben, on behalf of the entire membership of Lowlands-L, I wish you a
very happy birthday and many happy and productive years to come.  Also on
behalf of Lowlands-L, I take this opportunity to thank you for all your help
and support over the years.

Reuben, baste Jlekjwensche toom tachentijchste Jeburtsdach fonn de Metjliede
fonn Lowlands-L!

Best regards,

Reinhard/Ron

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