Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch
Pennsylvania German
Indo-European (Germanic, West, German)
Pennsylvania German (Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch) descends from Palatine German dialects brought to colonial Pennsylvania in the 18th century, now sustained by Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities. Vibrant L1 transmission within these communities means the language is *growing*, not declining; intensive English contact has introduced loanwords but the High-German-dialect grammatical core is intact.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Pennsylvania German
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Germanic, West, German)
| Meaning | Pennsylvania German | East Franconian | Swiss Standard German | Swabian | Luther-era German | Luxembourgish German | German |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Wasser /vasər/ | Wasser /vasːə/ | Wasser /ˈvasər/ | Wasser /vasə/ | Wasser /ˈvasːər/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ | Wasser /vasɐ/ |
| Fire | Feier /faɪər/ | Feier /faɪɐ/ | Feuer /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ | Feuer /foiɐ/ | Fewr /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ | Feuer /fɔɪ̯ɐ/ | Feuer /fɔɪ̯ɐ/ |
| Sun | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sonne /ˈsɔnə/ | Sonne /sonə/ | Sonne /ˈzɔnə/ | Sonne /zɔnə/ | Sonne /zɔnə/ |
| Moon | Muun /muːn/ | Maa /maː/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnd/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ | Mond /moːnt/ |
| Star | Schteern /ʃteːrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Schtern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛʁn/ | Stern /ʃtɛʁn/ |
| Night | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ |
| Rain | Regge /ˈrɛɡə/ | — | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ | Rega /ˈreːɡə/ | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ | Regen /ˈʁeːɡn̩/ | Regen /ˈʁeːɡn̩/ |
| Snow | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnt/ |
| Earth | Erd /ɛrd/ | Erd /ɛɐd/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ | Erd /eːɐ̯d/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ | Erde /eːɐdə/ |
| Stone | Schtee /ʃteː/ | — | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stoi /ʃtoi/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ |
| Mountain | Barig /ˈbarɪç/ | — | Berg /bɛrk/ | Berg /bɛrɡ/ | Berg /bɛrk/ | Berg /bɛʁk/ | Berg /bɛʁk/ |
| Sea | See /seː/ | — | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ | Meer /meːɐ̯/ |
| Mother | Mudder /mʊdər/ | Mudder /mʊdɐ/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ | Mädder /mɛdɐ/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ | Mutter /mʊtɐ/ |
| Father | Daadi /daːdi/ | Vadder /fadɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ | Vadder /fadɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ | Vater /faːtɐ/ | Vater /faːtɐ/ |
| Daughter | Dochder /dɔxdər/ | Dochder /dɔxdɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ | Dochder /ˈdɔxdɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtər/ | Tochter /tɔxtɐ/ | Tochter /ˈtɔxtɐ/ |
| I | ich /ɪç/ | i /i/ | ich /ɪç/ | i /i/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ |
| You | du /du/ | du /du/ | du /duː/ | du /du/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ | du /duː/ |
| We | mir /miːɐ̯/ | mir /miɐ/ | wir /viːr/ | mir /miɐ/ | wir /viːr/ | wir /viːɐ̯/ | wir /viːɐ̯/ |
| Name | Naame /ˈnɔːmə/ | Nama /ˈnamɐ/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Nama /ˈnamə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ |
| Person | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | — | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ | Mensch /mɛnʃ/ |
| Head | Kopp /kɔp/ | — | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Heubt /hɔɪ̯pt/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ | Kopf /kɔpf/ |
| Eye | Aag /ɔːk/ | Aach /aːx/ | Auge /ˈaʊɡə/ | Aug /aʊɡ/ | Aug /aʊk/ | Auge /aʊ̯ɡə/ | Auge /aʊ̯ɡə/ |
| Ear | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ | Ohr /oːɐ̯/ |
| Nose | Naas /nɔːs/ | — | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nas /nas/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ | Nase /ˈnaːzə/ |
| Mouth | Maul /maʊl/ | — | Mund /mʊnt/ | Gosch /ɡɔʃ/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Mund /mʊnt/ | Mund /mʊnt/ |
| Tooth | Zaah /tsɔː/ | Zah /tsaː/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zah /tsaː/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ |
| Tongue | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zong /tsoŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ |
| Hand | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hand/ | Handt /hant/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hant/ |
| Foot | Fuuss /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fuss /fuːs/ | Fuaß /fuas/ | Fus /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ | Fuß /fuːs/ |
| Heart | Hatz /hats/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛɐts/ | Hertz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛʁts/ | Herz /hɛʁts/ |
| Bone | Gnoche /ˈɡnoxə/ | Knocha /ˈknɔxɐ/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knoche /ˈknoxə/ | Bein /baɪn/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ |
| Blood | Blut /blut/ | Blut /bluːd/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Bluat /bluat/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ | Blut /bluːt/ |
| Poop | — /—/ | — | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Schdingr /ˈʃdɪŋɐ/ | Dreck /drɛk/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ | Kacke /ˈkakə/ |
| Love | liewe /liːvə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ | Liab /liə̯b/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liebe /liːbə/ |
| Tree | Baam /ˈbɔːm/ | Bauma /baʊmaː/ | Baum /baʊm/ | Baum /baum/ | Bawm /baʊm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ |
| Dog | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hond /hond/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ |
| Cat | Katz /kats/ | Katz /kats/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ | Katz /kats/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ | Katze /katsə/ | Katze /katsə/ |
| Fish | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | Voggel /fɔɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /foːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ |
| Butterfly | Fleddermaus /ˈflɛdərmaʊs/ | Schmetterling /ʃmɛdɐliŋ/ | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtərlɪŋ/ | Schmeddrleng /ˈʃmɛdɐlɛŋ/ | — | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtɐlɪŋ/ | Schmetterling /ˈʃmɛtɐlɪŋ/ |
| Egg | Oi /ɔɪ/ | — | Ei /aɪ/ | Oi /ɔɪ/ | Ey /aɪ̯/ | Ei /aɪ/ | Ei /aɪ/ |
| Bear | Baer /bɛːr/ | — | Bär /bɛːr/ | Bèèar /bɛːɐ/ | — | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ | Bär /bɛːɐ̯/ |
| Horse | Gaul /ɡaʊ̯l/ | — | Pferd /pfeːrt/ | Gaul /ɡaul/ | Pferd /pfeːrt/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ | Pferd /pfeːɐ̯t/ |
| House | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Hous /haus/ | Hauß /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊ̯s/ | Haus /haʊ̯s/ |
| Milk | Millich /ˈmɪlɪç/ | — | Milch /mɪlç/ | Millich /ˈmɪlɪç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ | Milch /mɪlç/ |
| Honey | Hunnich /ˈhʊnɪç/ | — | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪɡ/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪk/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪç/ | Honig /ˈhoːnɪç/ |
| Salt | Salz /salts/ | — | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | Saltz /zalts/ | Salz /zalts/ | Salz /zalts/ |
| Wine | Wei /vaɪ/ | — | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Woi /voɪ̯/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ |
| Rice | Reis /raɪs/ | — | Reis /raɪs/ | — | — | Reis /ʁaɪs/ | Reis /ʁaɪs/ |
| Iron | Eise /ˈaɪsə/ | Eisn /ˈaɪsn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪsən/ | Eisa /ˈaɪsa/ | Eisen /ˈaɪzən/ | Eisen /ˈaɪ̯zn̩/ | Eisen /ˈaɪ̯zn̩/ |
| Wheel | Raad /rɔːt/ | — | Rad /raːt/ | Rad /rad/ | Rad /raːt/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ | Rad /ʁaːt/ |
| Silk | — /—/ | — | Seide /ˈsaɪdə/ | — | Seide /ˈzaɪdə/ | Seide /ˈzaɪdə/ | Seide /ˈzaɪdə/ |
| Book | Buch /bux/ | — | Buch /buːx/ | Buach /buax/ | Buch /buːx/ | Buch /buːx/ | Buch /buːx/ |
| Eat | esse /ɛsə/ | esse /ɛsə/ | essen /ˈɛsn̩/ | essa /ɛsə/ | essen /ˈɛsːən/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ | essen /ɛsn̩/ |
| Drink | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ | drengga /drɛŋɡə/ | trincken /ˈtrɪŋkən/ | trinken /tʁɪŋkn̩/ | trinken /tʁɪŋkn̩/ |
| Sleep | schlofe /ˈʃlɔfə/ | schlafe /ʃlaːfə/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlofa /ˈʃlofa/ | schlaffen /ˈʃlafən/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ |
| One | eens /eːns/ | ans /ans/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | oine /ɔinə/ | eyn /aɪ̯n/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ |
| Two | zwee /tsveː/ | zwaa /tsvaː/ | zwei /tsvaɪ̯/ | zwoi /tsvoɪ̯/ | zwey /tsvaɪ/ | zwei /tsvaɪ/ | zwei /tsvaɪ/ |
| Three | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ̯/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /dʁaɪ̯/ | drei /dʁaɪ̯/ |
| Four | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | vier /fiɐ/ | vier /fiːr/ | viar /fiɐ̯/ | vier /fiːr/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ | vier /fiːɐ̯/ |
| Five | fimf /fɪmf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | femf /fɛmf/ | fünff /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ |
| Hundred | hunnert /ˈhʊnərt/ | — | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ | hondrd /ˈhondɐd/ | hundert /ˈhʊndərt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ | hundert /ˈhʊndɐt/ |
| Hello | Hallo /haloː/ | Grüß Gott /ɡrʏs ɡɔt/ | Hallo /haˈloː/ | Grüß Gott /ɡryːs ɡɔt/ | Gott zum Gruß /ɡɔt tsʊm ɡruːs/ | Hallo /haloː/ | Hallo /haloː/ |
| Thank you | Denki /dɛŋki/ | Vergelt's Gott /fɛɐɡɛlts ɡɔt/ | danke /ˈdaŋkə/ | Danggschee /daŋkʃeː/ | Danck /daŋk/ | danke /daŋkə/ | danke /daŋkə/ |
| Good | gut /ɡuːt/ | guad /ɡuə̯d/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | guad /ɡuə̯d/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | gut /ɡuːt/ |
| New | nei /naɪ/ | — | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | nei /naɪ/ | new /nɔɪ̯/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ | neu /nɔɪ̯/ |
| Red | rot /rot/ | rood /roːd/ | rot /roːt/ | rot /rod/ | rot /roːt/ | rot /ʁoːt/ | rot /ʁoːt/ |
| White | weiss /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiss /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weis /vaɪ̯s/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ |
| Black | schwatz /ʃvats/ | — | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | schwartz /ʃvarts/ | schwarz /ʃvaʁts/ | schwarz /ʃvaʁts/ |
| Green | grie /ɡriː/ | — | grün /ɡryːn/ | grea /ɡreə̯/ | grün /ɡryːn/ | grün /ɡʁyːn/ | grün /ɡʁyːn/ |
| Blue | bloh /bloː/ | — | blau /blaʊ/ | — | — | blau /blaʊ̯/ | blau /blaʊ̯/ |
| Computer | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːdɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtər/ | — | Rechenmeister /ˈrɛçənˌmaɪstər/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ | Computer /kɔmˈpjuːtɐ/ |
| Tea | Tee /teː/ | — | Tee /teː/ | — | — | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ |
| Coffee | Kaffi /ˈkafi/ | — | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ | — | — | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ | Kaffee /ˈkafeː/ |
| Sugar | Zucker /tsʊkər/ | — | Zucker /ˈtsʊkər/ | — | — | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ | Zucker /ˈtsʊkɐ/ |
| Orange | Arrentsch /ˈarəntʃ/ | — | Orange /oˈraŋʒə/ | — | — | Orange /oˈʁãːʒə/ | Orange /oˈʁãːʒə/ |
| Ninety-nine | nein un neinzich /naɪn ʊn naɪntsɪç/ | — | neunundneunzig /ˈnɔɪ̯nʊntˌnɔɪ̯ntsɪk/ | — | — | neunundneunzig /ˈnɔʏnʊntˌnɔʏntsɪç/ | neunundneunzig /ˈnɔʏnʊntˌnɔʏntsɪç/ |
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