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.

hammer-headAnd 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

  1. nagel
  2. bolguh
  3. spahtta
  4. drote
  5. muottah
  6. schrab
  7. tsangli
  8. vingle aisah
  9. schravvah ziah
  10. weddah boaht

Special thanks to Mark’s father Don for getting these words to us.

Photo credit: raster/flickr

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