Die Inshurance Business: A serio-comic drama in the Pennsylvania German vernacular, "as she is spoke" in the German districts of PennsylvaniaGrumbine, Ezra
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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
HOFFMAN. Ich will der evva sawga wees is, Yokle. Sis nimme wee es war
for olders. Dee tzeida sin nimme wee see waura. Ich mane evva 'swair
noch 'sbesht won de fry shoola net in der gong komma wara. Wee ich
in dee shool gonga bin, zum olda Stoffle Bender, drunna ins Feeser’s
Shpringhouse, do hut mer nix gevist fun denna sacha woo see olla wile
in de shoola hen. Do hut mer larna bushtaweera, no hut mer glasa im
Teshtament oder Psalter, and dee woo rechla und shriva hen wella dee hen
kenna, oder hens kenna bliva lossa. Swor noch en fry lond sella mole.
ABE. Hen see kay cheeografees g’shtudied sella zeit?
IKE. Und kay Mental?
HOFFMAN. Nix fun der ort. Und es hut shmartery menner und weiver gevva os
es olla wile dute.
SALLIE. Yaw, ovver sella mole het der kay telagraph und kay rigglewake
kot und—
ABE. Und kay may machine.
YOKLE. Abe, holt dy moul (_GRANNY coughs._)
HOFFMAN. All sellie dinga het mer aw allewile besser net. Wy dee
ferdifelda cars hen mer dee woch widder en kolp dode g’fawra!
ABE. (_Aside._) Sis shaud os es net der alt ux selwert war!
YOKLE.—Yaw, es mawg sei. Dee lite hen aw glaibt sell zeit. (_Works at
mat._)
HOFFMAN. Besser os allewile. Sella zeit hot mer der drom greega kenna for
en levvy dee quart oder dry cent der drunk. Now wella see aim en gons
week shtimma das der orm mon ken may drinka darf. Sell is dee fryhite
g’numma.
FRANY. Well, for selly fryhite bin ich net. Sgate dir wee em Irisha woo
sy mommy dote gshlawga hut, wee see en henka hen wella hut er gsawt,
“Sgait neemond nix awe, swaur my aig’ny mommy, und sis en fry lond!”
YOKLE. (_To IKE._) Mach dee wish net so dick, Ike. Yaw, du husht recht,
Henner. Won en mon en whisky drinka will, don lus em dee fryhite ains zu
nemma oder net.
SALLIE. Won der mon’s brouch, don brouch sy fraw es aw. Won du gsuffa
musht warra, don mus dy oldy Betsy awe. Wee datsht du sell gleicha zu
sana, Henner?
GRANNY. (_Coughs._) Ich mus drum widder hushta!
HOFFMAN. I konsht du don nix greega for dy hushta?
GRANNY. Was?
HOFFMAN. (_Louder._) Konsht nix usa for dy hushta?
GRANNY. I ich hob fom Redsecker seim “Balsom de Oltor” gnunima, und der
Yokle hut mer mole en buttle fom Ross seim “Cod Liver Oil—ale” gebrucht,
ovver’s hut kanes ken ousgekouter chaw duwak gebot (_coughs_). No is awe
mul sone rumlafer do hair kumma und hot mer en buttle Humberger oder
humbug droppa ferkauft—es hut awe nix gebot. Sell wor yusht so en lotwerk
bree.
HOFFMAN. Ich wase won meer dee yora als es kolt so kot hen, hen meer uns
tay gekucht und den dick sees g’macht mit browner zucker.
IKE. (_Aside._) Ich wet liever der zucker lanich!
FRANY. Ich moch 'ra oily owet tay!
GRANNY. I, ich drink tay! Olly owet en kuply fon dem Awdorn tay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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