Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of Pennsylvania — John Shaqi
Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of PennsylvaniaGrumbine, Ezra
General
Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of Pennsylvania
Grumbine, Ezra
Pennsylvania Dutch Country (Pa.) -- Drama; Pennsylvania German dialect -- Texts
SCENE I.—_Brownschweiger’s sitting-room and kitchen. A family
scene. Yokle smoking pipe and plaiting corn husk mat. Ike on
the right picking and handing husks to him. Frany, in the
center sewing, dressed in cap and white handkerchief pinned
across her breast. On left, Grandmother Aunshitz in huge white
cap and spectacles seated in arm-chair, scraping an apple and
eating it. To her left, Sallie crocheting. Seated on the floor
to the left, Abe is covering a ball. Empty chair between Yokle
and Frany. Grandmother coughs a great deal._
YOKLE. Hurry up Ike und mach die wish net so dick. War der huxliter hide
do, mam?
FRANY. Yaw, den nu’midag.
YOKLE. Wie feel hen die oyer und der butter g’macht?
FRANY. Der butter is yusht 14 and die oyer yusht 16. Und du waisht das
dee hinkle net orrig layia by dem kolta wedder. Alles tsomma hut yusht
$1.92 g’macht, und des mus ich hovva. Dee Sallie mus en Polenay und en
hat hovva und—
ABE. O yaw, sell is der wake. Dee Sallie mus alles hovva und ich mus
worta. Der shool-maishter hot hite weeder g’saut ich set en neyee
cheeografee greega.
IKE. Yaw, dad, und ich mus en mental hovva.
YOKLE. Hob ich net neyee bicher grickt letsht winter?
ABE. Yaw, ovver sie missa widder all neyee greega den winter.
YOKLE. Well, boova, ich kan eich ken neyee bicher kaufa shun widder.
(_Granny coughs._)
FRANY. Horich! ’skomt ebber. Wos net alles drunner und drivver. (_Bustles
about and dusts chairs._)
(_Enter HENNER HOFFMAN. GRANNY coughs._)
HOFFMAN. Good novet!
YOKLE _and_ FRANY. Denky! Nem der’n sitz, Henner. (_He seats himself near
GRANNY._)
HOFFMAN. Kalt wedder.
YOKLE. Yaw, ’sis mechtig kalt.
FRANY. Dee kelt hot aw so free awgfanga den winter.
HOFFMAN. Yaw! (_To GRANNY in a loud voice._) Wee macht’s by eich als?
GRANNY. Feicht draus, is es? (_Coughs._) I ich hob net g’wist os es ebbes
runner macht!
HOFFMAN. (_Louder._) Nay ich hob g’froagt wie deer aw kommt. Sider als
g’sund.
GRANNY. O, nay, ich bin shlecht—greislich shlecht. Ich hob evva den
orriga hushta (_coughs_) un wer so eng. Und no bin ich so shlecht uf mina
baw! Ich bin evva olt—hair aw so shlecht!
HOFFMAN. Yaw, du guksht shlecht!
GRANNY. Was? (_Coughs._)
HOFFMAN. (_Louder._) I, ich sawg du guksht alendig!
GRANNY. Yaw, du awe! (_Coughs._)
HOFFMAN. (_Turning to YOKLE._) Ich say der side busy?
FRANY. Yaw, ich hab na gsaut sie missa shoobutzer flechta oder sie derfa
mir nimmy ins house met eera drekicha shtiffle.
YOKLE. Yaw, ’sdate note mer date dawg und nacht shoffa and ’swill doch
net longa naryets. Bis dee wibeslite dee fashions noche g’macht hen und
dee boova hen olly winter onnery bicher, bleibt ke cent ivverich bis es
yore rum is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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