Listen: Pennsylvania Dutch

This clip, from the North American German Dialect ArchiveExternal link of the Max Kade InstituteExternal link for German-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, features an Amish man being interviewed by Wilfried Schabus (for Wolfgang W. Moelleken), in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA in 1984. 

Here is a transcription and English translation of the interview:

“Well, I was born in Lancaster County. When I was 14 years old my parents moved away from there and we moved down to St. Mary’s County [MD]. I ran around [was a teenager] there and got married there. Then we moved to Gettysburg, and then we moved to Franklin County [PA]. We have a big chicken house and bunch of hogs. I go to the farmer’s market three days a week. I handle a lot of money, but I haven’t got any. We’ve got a good corn crop this year. We do all our plowing and cultivation with horses. I just built myself a new barn, and I’ve got my horse and buggy in there. It’s not finished yet. I sell meat and cheese at the farmer’s market, and eggs.”