[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Lost in Translation

[Nelson Itterman]

Hello Otto:
You certainly put the subject into context.
It is a shame that we, who are the children of parents who were able to
communicate in several languages, are not able to do so. When our family
came to Canada in 1927, I was a two year old who could probably respond to
my parents and sisters in the German language.  But I gradually lost that
ability  when I started playing with the childlren in the neighborhood and
quickly began learning the English language. I suppose I was fluently
bilingual for a while, but when you do not use a language you loose it. To
my regret. I certainly admire people who speak several languages.

Nelson Itterman

-----Original Message-----
From: ger-poland-volhynia-bounces at eclipse.sggee.org
[mailto:ger-poland-volhynia-bounces at eclipse.sggee.org] On Behalf Of Otto
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 12:26 AM
To: S G G E E
Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Lost in Translation

     From:       robertnorenberg
     Subject:     [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Lost  in Translation
     Date:     October 31, 2005 11:30:52 PM EST
     To:       ger-poland-volhynia

O.K. So my ancestor spoke in german to his pastor and
then the pastor wrote the record in polish (but
probably spoke back to my ancestor in german.) This
may account for some of the odd little mix ups I have
seen in some of
these records. After all,the pastor was multi tasking! Robert
===============================================
Robert,
The pastor undoubtedly had little difficulty working with two languages.
Multi-lingual, being multi-lingual, speaking two, three, or four  
languages in Europe is not uncommon.
  It only appears so to we, 'language disadvantaged', Americans and  
Canadians who speak only the English language, with a twang, of  
course. In a train compartment, while in Poland, Cousin Egon kept a  
multi-lingual conversation going in German, French, Polish, English  
and what I though to be Spanish... I think he stated it was  
Portuguese.  I hung my head in humility.  By the way, before I speak  
further, I love the English language with its some million words to  
express myself with.  I work at absorbing it daily.  A word here, a  
word there.  At my age I forget one for every three I learn. So what,  
I'm still gaining.

Language is not a badge of identity.
It is only an indication of identity until proven out.  Genetic  
testing could create some hilarious moments.

Our forefathers usually spoke three or four languages. They may not  
necessarily have written them.
For instance:  The 'kitchen language', the one spoken at the dinner  
table.  It proved to be the cultural bond.  It could well have been  
Low German, Platt, that is to say, Flatland German.  Outdoors among  
peers, the language could well be High German, Hoch Deutsch, or as I  
like to refer to it, Hilly Hessian, the language of Luther. ("Low" or  
"High" German has nothing to do with superiority of language, it  
denotes geographic elevation of the speaker of it.  Over, "Uber"  
German refers to the Bavarian mountain dialects.  Flatland, hilly,  
and mountainous German... Simple.

So much for German variations of language.  In the 1700's the priests  
used Latin to record family documents.
1806 and after in Russian Poland it became mandatory they be kept in  
the Polish language.  Circa 1867-1868 it became mandatory they be  
kept in the Russian language in Russian Poland. 1918-1920 they were  
kept in the Polish language again.  1939-1945 they were kept in  
German. The abused Poles can finally use their own language now in 2005.

My parents spoke Platt Deutsch/Low German among themselves at private  
moments. (As kids we though it was about sex)
To us they spoke High German- I would have preferred the Platt, to  
enable me to understand with ease the Scandinavian languages.  My  
relatives spoke Polish, out of necessity plus they had Polish  
friends.  My relatives spoke Russian, out of necessity plus they had  
Russian friends. We are all too human, language comes second.  They  
added 'English' to their vocal sounds without giving it second  
thought. Pop added Czech to his language skills so he could drink  
wine with his Czech neighbor here in the States.  Now just where did  
I learn that handful of Yiddish words...?


Oh, Nellie, before I forget, dump out that old bag of rocks you  
carry, their weight only diminish your joy of life.


Richard O. Schienke

...  Otto

   " The Zen moment..." wk. of September 4, 2005-
        ________________________________
"The past, as the present...Always under construction."



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