LL-L "Language use" 2005.06.12 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 12.JUN.2005 (04) * 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
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Thomas Byro <greenherring at gmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica" 2005.06.12 (01) [E/German]

My second wife (soon to be my ex-wife) grew up in a Pennsylvania Dutch
speaking home.  Interestingly enough, her ancestors were mostly
English (her maiden name was Wolfe, her mother's maiden name was
Dobbins).  Pennsyvania Dutch though was so overwhelmingly the dominant
language at one time though that speakers of other languages quickly
adopted it as their language.  Still, she said, her parent's English
was heavily flavored with pennsylvania Dutch.  For example, they would
say " outen the lights", rather than "turn the lights off".  You can
still hear this kind of fractured English spoken in parts of
Pennsylvania.

On the other hand, I am puzzled by the persistence of Spanish here in
the northern tip of Manhattan.  I don't know if it is an unwillingness
or an inability to learn English on the part of the Spanish speakers.
Perhaps there are qualities to the Spanish language that I am not
aware of.  I tend to be skeptical of the existence of such qualities
since I have never heard of a world class, philosopher, mathematician,
chemist, physicist, etc., emerging from the Spanish speaking world.
What brings this to mind is an experience my sons and I had with a
taxi cab yesterday.  I told the cab driver where we had to go and
there was no comprehension.  My younger son then sighed and told the
driver in Spanish where we wanted to go.  Then there was no more
difficulty.  No doubt life would be easier if I learned Spanish but I
have refused to do so.  When the Spanish speakers en masse start to
learn German, then I will learn their language.

Tom Byro

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