| English as a World Language | | | | Addition of specialized, but "local" vocabulary is also |
| English, with its growing number of varieties, pidgins and | | | | quite commonly done as demonstrated in these |
| inflections, is now firmly established as a world | | | | examples. |
| language. It is currently spoken as a second or foreign | | | | "Shall I put the candy in a toot?" (A "toot" is a paper |
| language by more speakers than those who call it their | | | | bag.) |
| first language. Now there are more than three | | | | When talking about that fact that his father or |
| non-native speakers of English for every native | | | | grandfather is sick a child might say: |
| speaker and the number of non-native English | | | | "Pop ain't so good; his eatin's gone away and he don't |
| speakers continues to grow on a daily basis. "There's | | | | look so good in the face, either." |
| never before been a language that's been spoken by | | | | Speaking about his son's difficulties in school a father |
| more people as a second than a first", said David | | | | could be heard to express the following sentiments: |
| Crystal, author of the book "English as a Global | | | | "My son ain't dumb. It ain't that he can't learn, it's just |
| Language". In the area where I grew up in south | | | | that after he learns it, he forgets it." |
| central Pennsylvania, there is an interesting variety of | | | | If you don't speak "Pennsylvania Dutch" in one of its |
| the English language spoken by the "Pennsylvania | | | | multiple forms, they just might say of you: "You don't |
| Dutch". | | | | make yourself out so good. You talk so fancy like a |
| One difficult aspect of the English speech in Dauphin, | | | | body can't understand you." |
| Lancaster and York counties located in south central | | | | In talking about someone who doesn't read aloud well, |
| Pennsylvania, where a large concentration of Amish, | | | | at a meeting or in school for example, people might |
| Mennonites and other "Pennsylvania Dutch" sects live | | | | say something like: "When he gets up to read he gets |
| is the manipulation of the grammar elements of English. | | | | befuddled." |
| Here are a few examples of the ways in which | | | | Or how about this amusing little observation of another |
| grammar and word order are managed in everyday | | | | person's speech: "Don't talk so quick, it runs together |
| Pennsylvania Dutch speech. For "Outlanders", anyone | | | | too much when I think." |
| who is not Pennsylvania Dutch, these expressions of | | | | Pennsylvania Dutch Proverbs |
| everyday speech can range from amusing to startling. | | | | Some interesting Pennsylvania Dutch proverbs include |
| Here's a look at just a few of the many aspects of | | | | these offerings: |
| this variety of English. | | | | "Kissin' wears out, cooking don't" |
| Convoluted Grammatical Forms | | | | "No woman can be happy with less than seven to |
| "Throw Papa down the stairs his hat." | | | | cook for" |
| Explanation: Throw Papa's hat down the stairs to him. | | | | "A plump wife and a big barn never did any man |
| (I don't care how old he is, don't you dare touch ole | | | | harm" |
| Papa!) | | | | "He who has a secret dare not tell it to his wife" |
| "Go out and tie the dog loose and don't forget to outen | | | | "Ve get too soon oldt, und too late schmart" |
| the light." | | | | The Keystone State |
| This expression uses convoluted grammar in addition | | | | In this region of the "Keystone state" as Pennsylvania |
| to "Germanic" verbalizations. Here the verb "outen" | | | | is monickered, this variety of is often called |
| means "to turn out". The adjective and noun are used | | | | "Ferhoodled English" by the Pennsylvania Dutch |
| in reverse order from other forms of Standard English. | | | | themselves and by local "Outlanders". Famous for their |
| "The owner says he'll pay me ten dollars a day if I eat | | | | frugal lifestyle and natural, delicious farm-fresh cooking, |
| myself, but just five dollars if he eats me." | | | | the Amish and other sects contribute to the tourism of |
| Explanation: No, there's no cannibalism here! The | | | | the state. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to |
| worker will get ten dollars a day for providing his own | | | | sample the crafts, food and "peculiar" language this |
| meals, but five dollars a day if the owner has to | | | | austere people. It is but yet another of the many |
| provide the worker's food. (Whew! I'm glad we cleared | | | | continually developing varieties of English as a global |
| that one up!) | | | | language. |
| "He's a pretty good man yet, ain't not?" | | | | "When you come over - come out" When you're in |
| Explanation: He's a pretty good man (provider), isn't he? | | | | the area, drop by. See, hear, and experience the food |
| (a tag question form) | | | | and the Pennsylvania Dutch for yourself. |
| Use of Specialized Vocabulary | | | | |