Almost Eden Page 20
me (mie) me, myself
meyahl (Mejahl) girl
mouse (Mooss) cold, stewed fruit soup
mumke (Mumtje) woman
mutta (Mutta) mother
mein zeit! a High German expression meaning, “Oh my!” or “My gosh!”
nay (nä) no
nah yo (na jo) literally, well yes, but its meaning depends on how it’s used
nich (nijch) not
nusht (nuscht) nothing
och vaut (Och waut!) Tut-tut! Exclamation of impatience or mild denial
ootyeklivft (ütjekleiwft) run away, beat it; literally “has scratched out”
ootyepoopt (ütjepüpt) tired out, pooped
piroshki (Perieschtje) baked turnover-like pie with meat or fruit in it
platz (Plautz) Large, flat cake topped with fruit
Plautdietsch Low German; literally “flat German”
plumen mouse (Plümemoos) Cold plum and dried fruit soup, a regular Mennonite Sunday dish
pudel (Puddel) puddle
putzendonna (Putzendoona) mischief-maker, joker
rollkuchen (Rollkuaken) deep-fried dough strips or fritters, commonly served with watermelon; literally, “roll cookies”
schauntboa (schaundboa) shameful
scheent (schient) shines
schentlich (schendlijch) disgraceful, scandalous
schlap (schlape) to drag
schindashin hite (schindashen heet) devilish hot
schmack gout (schmatje goot) tastes good
schmauntfat (Schmaundfat) cream gravy
schmocke bayn (schmock Been) nice legs
schmungestrasse (Schmunjestrasse) lover’s lane
schnetke conference (Schnettje-Konferenz) a gathering of gossips, literally a “biscuit conference”
schnigglefritz (Schnidjelfrits) teasing reference, usually to a young boy
schozzle (Schosel) dolt, dunderhead, someone who acts silly
schnoddanaze (Schnoddanäs) young know-it-all; literally, “snot-nose”
schvack (schwack) weak
summaborscht (Sommaborscht) sorrel and potato soup. Literally “summer soup”
Taunte (Taunte) aunt
tubbdook (Tobbdüak) dishrag
Uy uy uy (Uj uj uj) exclamation; My, my, my!
varenika (Wrennetje) perogies; dough packets usually filled with cottage cheese
vaut (waut) what
vea (wäa) who
vea es doa (waä es doa?) who is there?
vite dee (weehte die) mind your own business; literally, “know yourself”
vooa (woa) where
voh (woo) how
vota (Wota) water
yung (Jung) boy
Selected phrases:
Daut deit mie leet. I am sorry
Dee hucke sitj oppe Uahren. She sit herself on her ears.
Schwack auss een Tobbdüak. Weak as a dishcloth.
voh scheent et? (Woo schient et?) How are things? Literally, “How shines it?” A common Mennonite greeting.
Wota emm Tjalla Betjsen. Water in cellar pants, meaning pants that are too short.
For the Low German sayings and “upgemixed” English, I have my memories of growing up in a Mennonite community to thank, but even more so I thank the many family and friends who helped jog my memories and added their own to the mix. My mother, especially, suffered through many interruptions to patiently answer one question after another. She went so far as to try and teach me correct Plautdietsch pronunciations, until finally throwing up her hands in disgust and declaring, “That’s the best your tongue will do.” My heartfelt thanks go out to her and my siblings–Iris, Bill, Kathy, and Becky–and to Barb and Aron, Nancy, Susan, Jocelyn, Jeannette, Linda, and Connie. For some thirty years now, these childhood friends have continued to welcome me back on intermittent visits to my hometown. They have shown me a grace that never fails to enrich my appreciation for my roots.
As well as these personal sources, I’m also indebted to several texts, including Jack Thiessen’s Mennonite Low German Dictionary, Herman Rempel’s Kjenn Jie Noch Plautdietsch?, The Windmill Turning, by Victor Carl Friesen, and Armin Wiebe’s The Salvation of Yasch Siemens, which
Text copyright © 2006 by Anita Horrocks
Published in Canada by Tundra Books,
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Published in the United States by Tundra Books of Northern New York,
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Horrocks, Anita, 1958-
Almost Eden / Anita Horrocks.
eISBN: 978-1-77049-033-8
I. Mennonites-Juvenile fiction. I. Title.
PS8565.0686A64 2006 jC813’.6 C2005-902896-3
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) and that of the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s Ontario Book Initiative. We further acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program.
The author gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council for the Arts.
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