Chapter VI

Syntax.

The confusion of forms in the declension of German articles, pronouns, and adjectives, as given in print, is avoided in dialects, and on the upper Rhine all classes use the masculine nominative der for the accusative den, thus making a step towards rational grammar—the feminine die and the neuter das being equally nominative and accusative. According to Radlof, from Swisserland to Holland, on both sides of the Rhine, there is scarcely a locality where the nominative is distinguished from the accusative and the dative, and he cites as examples—"ich trinke rother Wein" (for rothen); "ich habe der Esel gesehen" (for den Esel); "ich sitze auf der Baum" (for dem Baum).[37] In PG. this rother for rothen is sometimes cut down to "root" the common PG. neuter form, particularly with the definite article, as in—

Ich trink d'r root wei˛. I drink the red wine.

Was f'r wei˛ wit [willst du] trinke? What kind of wine willst drink?

Ich trink tschenǝrli rooter wei˛.[36] I 'generally' drink red wine.

G. Wir geben guten Lohn. PG. M'r gewwǝ guutǝr loo˛. We give good wages.

ǝn guutǝr freind (n guuti fraa, n guut haus) is n guut ding. A good friend (masc.), wife (fem.), house (neut.) is a good thing (neut.).

Sellǝr mann hǝt mei, huut allǝs ufgebrǝchǝ. That man has broken (meinen) my hat (alles auf) all up.

Ich bin naus in dǝr hoof un bin unsǝrǝr kats uf dǝr schwants getrettǝ, selli hǝt mich gekratst. (Nsp.) I went (hinaus) out, in (G. den Hof, m.) the yard, and trod on (G. den Schwanz) the tail of our cat, she scratched me.

... weil ich mich geschämmt hab, bin ich uf dǝr schpeichǝr geschniikt oone ǝn wǝrt tsu saaghǝ. (Nsp.) While I shamed myself, I 'sneaked' up to (den) the loft without a word to say.

G. Das Wetter ist den ganzen Tag schön gewesen. PG. s wettǝr iss d'r gants (or gans) daak schee˛ gwest. The weather has been fine the entire day.

G. Ich gehe in den Keller. PG. Ich gee in dǝr kellǝr. I am going into the cellar.

In the next, Stuhl being masculine, the nominative der is used for the dative dem, but the accusative ihn ('n) is preserved—

ær hǝt uf d'r schtuul k'hǝkt, un hǝt n f'rbrǝchǝ. He sat on the chair and has broken it.

G. Liebe deinen Nächsten, als dich selbst. Love thy neighbor as thyself. PG. Liib dei˛ nochbǝr ass wii dich selwer.

G. Lēgĕ das Buch auf dēn Tisch. Lay the book on the table. PG. Leeg s buch uf d'r tisch.

Here, if 'den tisch' were used in PG. it would rather mean 'this table,' because there is a tendency to use articles as demonstratives, saying 'dær' for G. dieser, and 'sellǝr' (G. selbiger) for G. jener,—'sel' (G. selbiges) being its neuter, and 'selli' (G. selbige) its feminine and plural. This 'sel' is found in Swisserland, and other parts of the Rhine region. Its Alsatian form tsel, with initial t, shows that it is akin to G. dasselbe. Notwithstanding its resemblance in form and function to Provensal sel or cel, French celui, celle, they are without etymologic relation. See Ch. VII., §2. p. 43, and §4, p. 45; and Ellis, Early English Pronunciation, p. 662, note 15.

'Das' (the) and 'es' (it) have a tendency to confusion under the short form 's used for both. 'Dass' (that) remains, and the neuter nominative article is changed from G. das to PG. 'des' as in 'des buch' (the book)—but as 'des buch' may mean this book, the function of the article is performed by reducing this 'des' to 's, as in—

's buch iss mei˛ the book is mine—des buch iss mei˛ THIS book is mine.

"Donn hab ich gedenkt [not gedacht], des is doch now ordlich plain deitsch," ... (Rauch.[38]) Then I thought, This is at-any-rate 'now' tolerably 'plain' Dutch.

Dær mann iss krankǝr (not kränker) wie d'r annǝr. This man is sicker than the other. (G. als der andere.)

G. Ein Mann und eine Frau waren hier diesen Morgen. A man and a woman were here this morning. PG. Es war ǝn mann un ǝn fraa hiir den márighǝ. There was a man and a woman here this morning.

G. Ich wünsche dass er komme. I wish that he come. PG. Ich wǝtt (or wott, for wollte) dass ær deet [G. thät] kummǝ. I would that he would come. Swiss—I wett, asz er chäm. Stalder, 1, 112.

Swiss asz for dass is often used in PG., as in—

Wann ich geglaabt hätt 'ass er mich net betsaalt (or betsaalǝ deet), so hätt ich 'm gar net gebárikt (or gebaricht). If I had believed that he would not pay me, I would (gar nicht) not at all have (geborgt) trusted him.

Wann ich gedenkt [not G. gedacht] hätt 'ass es net woor wæær, dann hätt ich 's net geglaabt. If I had not supposed it to be true, I would not have (geglaubt) believed it.

G. Wäre er reich, er würde nicht betteln. Were he rich he would not beg. G. Wenn er reich wäre, so würde er nicht betteln. PG. Wann ær reich wæær, deet ær net bettǝln. If he were rich, he would not beg.

PG., like Swiss,[39] dislikes the imperfect tense, and prefers G. Ich habe gedacht (I have thought), to G. Ich dachte (I thought), which gives forms like—

Wii ich n gesee˛ hab, hab ich gedenkt ær wært k'sund. As I saw him (having seen him) I thought he would get well.

Ich bin gangǝ I have gone; not G. Ich gieng I went, nor gegangen ygone.

Whan myn houſbond is fro the world i-gon,—Chaucer, (Wright's ed.) l. 5629. With menſtralcy and noyſe that was (y-)maked, l. 2526.

Bet is to be (y-)weddid than to brynne. l. 5634.

PG. has also 'kummǝ' (has come) for G. gekommen, showing a tendency to follow a law which caused ge-(y-, i-) to be dropped in English. The practice seems to have started with gekommen and gegangen, because they are much used, and their initial guttural absorbs the guttural g- or k- of the prefix. In an Austrian dialect,[40] ge- disappears before b, p, d, t, z, as in "Ih bin kumma" (I have come), PG. Ich bin kummǝ.

PG. Ich hab s [G. gekauft] kaaft im schtoor. I bought it at the 'store.' Hǝscht mei˛ briif krikt? Hast (G. gekriegt) received my letter? Ich schreib n briif. I write a letter.

"Der Charle hat jung geheiert un hat e fleiszige Fra krickt," Wollenweber, p. 78. D'r 'Tschærli' hǝt jung k'eiǝrt un hǝt ǝ fleissighǝ fraa krikt.

'Charley' married young and got an industrious wife.

G. Es regne. It may rain. PG. s maak (G. mag) reeghǝrǝ.

G. Es regnete. It might rain. PG. s kennt (G. könnt) reeghǝrǝ.

G. Es habe geregnet. It may have rained. PG. s kennt reeghǝ hawwǝ.

PG. has the Swiss als (hitherto, formerly, always), a form in which it is not shortened into a's, as in—

ær hǝt als ksaat ær wær (or wæær) miir niks schuldich. (Ziegler). He has hitherto said he is to-me nothing indebted.

Mr. Rauch, in his partly English spelling, has—

"Er hut aw behawpt das mer set sich net rula lussa bi seiner fraw, un das de weiver nix wissa fun denna sacha, un das es kens fun eara bisness is we an monn vote odder we oft er als drinkt." .ær hǝt aa behaapt dass mǝr set sich net 'ruulǝ' lǝssǝ bei seinǝr fraa, un dass dii weiwǝr niks wissǝ fun dennǝ sachǝ, un dass es kens fun eerǝ 'bissnǝss' iss wii ǝn mann 'woot,' ǝdǝr wii ǝft ær als drinkt.

He (has) maintained that one should not (lassen) let (sich) one's-self be 'ruled' by one's wife, and that the (weiber nichts wissen) women know nothing of such things, and that it is (keines von ihre) none of their 'business' how a man 'votes,' or how oft he (als) ALWAYS drinks.

In the following Suabian example (Radlof 2, 17) als is a form of G. alles (all), and schmieren is used as in PG. for to pay off, to trick.

Kurz! i will olls eba macha Daſz oim 's Herz im Leib mu'ſz lacha; I will au de Tuifel ſchmiera, Daſz er Niemâ kan verführa, Hack' ihm boyde Hörner o, Daſz er nimma ſtecha ka-. In short, I will make all so even that the heart in one's body must laugh; I will also trick [den] the devil that he none can lead astray— chop for him both his horns off that he cannot thrust again.

PG. 'dass' for als (with the sense of as), and 'dass wan' G. als wenn (South German of Breisgau as wenn) for as if, seems peculiar. The German adverbial particles admit of a wide range of meaning, and in Low Austrian certain inversions occur, as aussa (aus-her) for G. heraus; aussi (aus-hin), also in old Bavarian, for G. hinaus, which would allow PG. 'dass' to be referred to als dasz or da(r)als.[41] But independently of this surmise, the cutting down of the pronouns des (G. das) and es to 's and als to ass, makes it as easy to accept dass for als, as 'd of English 'I'd rather,' for had instead of would. Farther, as da has als for one of its meanings, this dass may be da with the adverbial suffix -s.[42]

"des land is aw frei for mich so goot das for dich."—Rauch, p. 32 ... des land is aa frei f'r mich soo guut dass f'r dich.

This (not the) country is (auch) also free for me as well as for thee.

"net wennicher dos sivva hunnert for dich un mich"....—Rauch, 1869. ... net wennichǝr dass siwǝ hunǝrt f'r dich un mich.

Not less than seven hundred for thee and me.

"Er will hawa dos ich bei eam aw roof in Filldelfy, un dut dos wanns tsu meiner advantage wær wann ich kumm."—Rauch, Aug. 16, '69. 'ær will hawǝ dass ich bei iim aa˛ruuf in Fildelfi, un duut dass wann s tsu meinǝr 'atfæntitsch' wær wann ich kumm.

He will have that I (bei) at-the-house-of him [G. anrufen, perverted to an English idiom] call-on in Phildelphi [the common pronunciation] and (he) does as if it (were) would be to my 'advantage' if I come.[43]

"Selly froke hut mich awer sheer gorly schwitza macha, un ich hob g'feeld yusht grawd das wann ich mich full heaser hulder tæ g'suffa het un g'mixd mit tansy, katzakraut un bebbermint."—Rauch, Aug. 9, 1869. Selli frook hǝt mich schĭr gaarli schwitsǝ machǝ, und ich hab kfiilt juscht graad dass wann ich mich fǝl heesǝr huldǝr tee ksǝffǝ het un 'gmikst' mit 'tænsi' [s not as z] katsǝkraut un 'bebbǝrmint.'

[Dieselbe Frage] That question however almost [G. gar] quite made me sweat, and I felt just exactly as if I had (G. gesoffen) drunk myself full of hot (G. Holder) elder tea, and 'mixed' with 'tansy' catnip and 'peppermint'.

"'s scheint m'r wærklich as wann du im sinn hätscht in deinǝ altǝ daaghǝ noch n Dichter tsu gewǝ (tsu wærrǝ). Awǝr ich færricht 's iss tsu schpot; du hätscht ǝ paar joor friiǝr aa˛fange sollǝ, dann wær viileicht ebbǝs draus [G. worden] warrǝ."[44] It appears to me really as if you intended in your old days yet to become a poet. But I fear it is too late; you should have commenced a few years earlier, then perhaps something might have come of it.

The next is from the description of a willow-tree with the 'nesht' (pl. of G. nast[45]) branches broken by ice.[46]

"Er guckt net gans so stattlich meh, Er guckt net gans so gross un' schoe Das wie er hut die anner woch Wu'r all sei nesht hut katte noch." .ær gukt net gans soo schtattlich mee ær gukt net gans soo gross un schee, dass wii ær hǝt dii anǝr woch wuu 'r all sei˛ nescht hǝt kattǝ noch.

It (nicht mehr) no more looks quite so stately, it looks not (ganz) quite so large and fine, AS THAT it did the (andere) other week, (wo er where he) when it (hat gehabt) has had all its boughs.

At present PG. is exhibiting a tendency to drop G. zu (to), the sign of the so-called infinitive, altho in the following examples perhaps most speakers would use it.

Wann fangscht aa˛ [tsu] schaffǝ? When do you begin [to] work?

Ich hab aa˛fangǝ schaffǝ. I have begun (to) work.

... fiil annǝri hen hart prowiirt sich farnǝ naus schaffǝ. (Rauch.)

Many others (have) tried hard (to) work themselves (G. vorn) forward.

"De mæd ... hen kea so kleany bonnets g'hat di nix sin for hitz odder kelt; es wara rechtshaffene bonnets, das mer aw sea hut kenne ohna de brill uf du."—Nsp. Dii meed hen kee˛ soo klee˛ni 'bannǝts' katt dii niks sin f'r hits ǝd'r kelt; ǝs waarǝ rechtschaffǝnǝ 'bannǝts,' dass m'r aa seeǝ hǝt kennǝ, oone dii brill uf [tsu] duu˛.

The girls (haben gehabt) had no such small 'bonnets' (die) which are nothing for heat or (kälte) cold; there were honest 'bonnets' that (mir) one (auch) also could see without putting the spectacles on.

PG. Sometimes distinguishes between the present tense and the aorist, as in Swiss—"er thuot choh" (he does come)—

Sellǝr hund knarrt. That dog growls (has a habit of growling).

Sellǝr hund tuut (G. thut) knarrǝ. That dog is now growling.

D'r mann tuut essa—ær iss am essǝ. The man is eating—he is at eating.

PG. does not use equivalents to neither and nor.

G. Er ist weder reich noch arm. He is neither rich nor poor. PG. ær iss net reich un net aarm.

E. He is either sick or lazy. PG. ær iss krank ǝdǝr faul. (Or, adopting either and its idiom) ǝr iss 'iitǝr' krank ǝdǝr faul.

In a case like the last, no matter how well the speaker knows English, he must not pronounce a word like 'either' in the English mode, because it would be an offense against the natural rhetoric of the dialect.

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