Amish Language and Culture
Amish speak a dialect called Pennsylvania American hybrid or Pennsylvania German. This is a Germanic language with a good amount of English mixed. If you sit and listen to two Amish speak, can be surprised that it seems every fifth or tenth word or twentieth English really. Sometimes you find that you can follow along as a kind of talk.
PA Dutch, most of the written language. When the Amish write notes and letters to one another, typically used for English. But typical Amish children would not speak with much or any English until she reached school age. PA Dutch is the language first learned as children and most Amish language more comfortable to talk. Once in school, the teacher, who almost always Amish teach children English, and all lessons are conducted using English as their primary language. In fact, many if not trilingual most Amish really, because other than English and the ‘Dutch’, speak and understand German language, which is a language written in the Bible and the language used in their church services.
Amish are not the only one known to speak German in the PA, although the largest group. Dialect speakers, including non-Mennonites and Amish, have historically been found in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania and the Shenandoah Valley area which stretches to the south through Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Amish behind this language, to hear a sample recording of Pennsylvania. Follow the Amish in America amishamerca.com Blog to read more.
