The Side Effects of Endorphins

When I was growing up, the English spoken in Pennsylvania used to drive me nuts. I used to think they just threw words in order whenever they felt like it.

Let’s examine this sentence.

I throw the horse some hay over the fence now

I thought this to be a word salad, though people in Pennsylvania rarely eat salad.

I was talking to my German teacher about this sentence.

And her response to me was.

This makes perfect sense to me

So right now, I am issuing a heartfelt apology to all those in Pennsylvania I have belittled for what I perceived to be a word salad.

Ich werfe dem Pferd jetzt etwas Heu über den Zaun

Pennsylvania Dutch is a unique American language with strong German roots, spoken by many Amish and Mennonite communities. It’s not standard German, but a dialect that evolved over time, influenced by German and English. 

Here are some basic phrases to get you started: 

• “Guda Dog”: Hello, or good day.
• “Guda Morgen”: Good morning.
• “Guda Oga”: Good evening.
• “Guda Nood”: Good night.
• “Mox Good”: Goodbye.
• “My Nama is…”: My name is…