A Pennsylvania German Reader and Grammar

This book presents the language (Pennsylvania German, Dutch, or Deitsch) developed by the settlers brought to Pennsylvania from the Rhine Valley by William Penn. The settlers’ dialects evolved into a formal language which has been spoken and read for three centuries throughout much of Pennsylvania and more recently, in parts of the Middle and Far West, and Canada.

This book contains 13 readings—on such topics as school, house, farm, and town, as well as dates, weather, body parts, and clothing—each with the translations on facing pages and followed by vocabulary and grammatical rules. By the end of the book all major rules of grammar have been covered together with a substantial working vocabulary.

An introduction gives an overview of the language and a guide to pronunciation; an appendix presents practice patterns for the serious student; and an index leads to definitions of all vocabulary words.

“The introduction to this excellent book gives an overview of the language (Pennsylvania German, Dutch or Deitsch) developed by the settlers brought to Pennsylvania from the Rhine Valley by William Penn. . . . This book is a must for the researcher, especially the novice whose ancestral lines lead to this area where a language barrier can certainly be discouraging or in some instances even terminates the search.”—The Genealogical Helper

“The dialect used by the German settlers of Pennsylvania requires special study if it is to be understood. In this volume Mr. Haag has provided a learning aid which is both a reader and a grammar.”—The Virginia Genealogist

“The outstanding book contains twenty-three excellent reading selections in lively dialect by Haag on subjects such as school, house, farm, town, as well as dates, weather, body parts, and clothing—each with translation on the opposite page—a practical, invaluable feature.”—Journal of the Pennsylvania German Society

Communication Studies

Pennsylvania & the Mid-Atlantic