Most Amish speak a dialect known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch as their primary language. It’s generally not used as a written tongue, though that doesn’t mean it’s not written, in one form or another, from time to time.
And so today we have a list of terms for you to guess (or if you know PA Dutch already, this should be pretty easy). Ohio Amishman Mark Curtis has previously shared 25 PA Dutch kitchen terms (Part 1 and Part 2) and a list of 12 similar-sounding PA Dutch words.
Today Mark shares a list of 10 terms which you might hear a carpenter use. These are particularly relevant since carpentry and woodworking are such common professions among the Amish. Any idea what these mean?
10 Pennsylvania German Carpentry-Related Words
- nagel
- bolguh
- spahtta
- drote
- muottah
- schrab
- tsangli
- vingle aisah
- schravvah ziah
- weddah boaht
Special thanks to Mark’s father Don for getting these words to us.
Photo credit: raster/flickr
You might also like:
Schreiner vattah
1. Nail
2. ?
3. Rafter
4. Wire
5. Mud?
6. Screw
7.pliers
8. Square
9. Screw driver
10. Siding? (Weather board)
2. girder?
5. screw-nut?
Schreiner vattah
Some words I can clearly understand from German (Deutsch [doitsch]) dialects
but some others not
:
GERMAN/DEUTSCH ENGLISH
Schreiner === carpenter
vattah = Wörter (words)
1. Nagel ==== nail
2. possibly not German
3. Spachtel = scraper, spatuala
4. Draht ==== wire
5. Mutter === nut
6. Schraube = screw
7. Zange ==== pliers
8. Winkeleisen = angle iron
9. Schraubenzieher = screw driver
10. possibly not German
Pa German words
#2 refers to joists
#3 is rafters
#5 is a nut
#8 is a square
#10 is wooden barn boards
Trust me!
John's answers
John nailed all the words except for #2 and #5. These are very common words in our area.
thank you Horst
Horst, from my German background here in Berlin (Germany) I tried to understand the words.
BTW, my father`s name is also Horst, but the name got old-fashioned since 60 years here in Deutschland.
Vingle Aisah (Winkeleisen) was translated by google as “angle iron”,
already I wondered a bit if this is correct English.
Now it shows they have a Latin word for it (square).
Imagine in automatic google translation
they do not have
Mutter=nut
they only have the one standard variant
Mutter=mother
also interesting:
Wetter=weather (and in ancient meaning is “wind”
Wind=wind
Thank you to the list and contributors, it was great fun, and I am keenly following the discussions on all spects of culture on this site.
Oliver in Deutschland
bulgah = BALKEN (in deutsch) ; JOIST
yes, of course if I would pronounce [balken] in southern German dialects it would come close to what you wrote,
but your writing representation is just something own.
VERY INTERESTING ASPECTS OF LINGUISTICS (doitsch or deutsch);
as I deal with languages on a daily basis (Asian languages)
Some of these words are similar to our Hutterisch ones. Others not so much. Always interesting to compare words between two related languages.
Comparison
Dear Linda,
in this case it is even a comparison between 3 German dialects
(I am the representative of the High [modern] German dialect);
and even English is a Germanic language
which ist still quite close to Deutsch, but has adopted more Latin words.
Beats me! But it’s always interesting to learn. As usual, I wish I could “hear” them, too.
I’m being a little naughty, but some of them sound as though they could be used to replace some “naughtier” words, such as when you strike your thumb with a hammer! “DROTE!” 😉
Alice Mary
“Vingle aisah” is such a thing:
http://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a12081300ux0924-90-Degree-Metric-Square/dp/B009EOPXU0
What is the correct English name for it?
Is the correct English name “L-Square Angle Ruler”?
http://www.amazon.com/Degree-Length-Stainless-Steel-L-Square/dp/B0087ZRH7Y
Vingle Aisah
Well, I asked my son, Mark, about this. I don’t speak any Pennsylvania Dutch but he is quite fluent. He said that a vingle aisah in English is a carpenter’s square. Translated literally he says it means an angle iron. Aisah is Pennsylvania German for iron. For example he says a horse shoe is a hoof aisah. “Mein gaul hut si aisah schmissa.” My horse threw his shoe.
re: Don Curtis
this small talk is so cute:
MEIN GAUL HAT SEI EISAA SCHMISSA.
it is a very
lovely German dialect
which also reflects a bit upon mentalities.
In a search for German culture,
I am comparing such kind of German dialects in Siebenbuergen (Romania), Austria, Swizzerland, Elsass (France), etc.
which goes along with habits and approaches expressed therein.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! And remember, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Have a wonderful day!!!
Official Answer Key - 10 PA Dutch Carpentry Terms
Here are the answers from Mark.
1. nagel – nail
2. bolguh – beam
3. spahtta – rafter
4. drote – wire
5. muottah – nut
6. schrab – screw
7. tsangli – pliers
8. vingle aisah – carpenter’s square
9 schravvah ziah – screwdriver
10. weddah boaht – siding (weather board)
Tüütsch und dütli...
hi all,
here a sample of swissgerman (around te town of Zürich)
tsangli = zängeli (-li- means littel- diminuativ)
vingle aisah = winkelise
schravvah ziah = schruubezier
schrab = schruube
“Züritüütsch” isch e sproch wo am änglische ganz nöch chunt. Mir käned zum biispil kei vergangeheit.
Regards,
Alfred
comparative Deutsch dicalects
I am very thankful that we now recieve still another diaclet (Swizz Deutsch)
:
This was just what I meant,
but it would just have been better to write successively the variants of the various dialects (including my standard Deutsch) in one single line…
Even some Anglo-German expressions have been maintained from olden times, whereas others are plain Latin-French borrowings.
So, this reflects on the ENGLISH language.
Lengeschter Kaunti Deitsch
Eens Mehr’s Wie Eens
Nagel Negel
Bolke Bolke
Schpahr Schpahre
Droht Drohte
Mutter Muttre
Schrab Schrawwe
Zengli Zenglin
Winkeleissi Winkeleissin
Schrawwezieher Schrawweziehre
Waetterbohrt Waetterbohrte