Page Type: languageGerman, Pennsylvania | Ethnologue

PDC ISO 639-3

German, Pennsylvania

Deitsch, Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Autonym

A language of United States

ISO 639
pdc
Alternate Names
Die Mudderschprooch, Pennsilfaani-Deitsch, Pennsylfaanisch Deitsch, Pennsylvaanisch Deitsch, Pennsylvania Deitsh, Pennsylvania Dutch, Pennsylvanisch-Deitsch, Pennsylvanish
Autonym
Deitsch, Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch
Population
133,000 in United States (2015 census), increasing. Ethnic population: 200,000 (Kloss and McConnell 1981). Total users in all countries: 148,000.
Location:
Scattered; Florida; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Missouri; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin; new communities in other states.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, West Middle German
Dialects
Amish Pennsylvania German (Plain Pennsylvania German), Non-Amish Pennsylvania German (Non-Plain Pennsylvania German, Pensylvanisch Deitsch). Blending of several German dialects, primarily Rhenish Palatinate (Pfalzer) German, with syntactic elements of High German and English. Mostly incomprehensible to those from the Palatinate (Kloss 1978).
Language Use
Plain community not shifting to English [eng], but maintains stable bilingualism (1987 M. Louden). All domains. Some of all ages. Most also use English [eng].
Language Development
Bible: 2013.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about German, Pennsylvania
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Separate orthographies for Pennsylvania and Ohio dialects. Christian.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
German, Pennsylvania
User Population
15,000 in Canada (1995).
Location
Kitchener-Waterloo area, Ontario.
Dialects
Amish Pennsylvania German, Non-Amish Pennsylvania German (Pennsylvanisch Deitsch).
Language Status
5 (Developing)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Christian.
View other languages of Canada

Map

Location: Scattered; Florida; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Missouri; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin; new communities in other states.