Results tagged “Mennonite Historical Society” from York Town Square

Ken Stough, left, instructor for the Pennsylvania Dutch language classes, talks with Butch Reigart during a class at Providence Place near Dover. Reigart, formerly of York County, is teaching an upcoming Lancaster-based Pennsylvania German course. Background posts: Der Belsnickel of the Pennsylvania Dutch: 'He looked scary and carried a sack of presents' and Classes offer rare op to learn Pennsylvania Dutch and York County group preserving Pennsylvania Dutch language, heritage.

People are fascinated with Pennsylvania Dutch language, a dialect of German spoken for decades - centuries - in York County and other parts of Pennsylvania.

Today, the dialect is most prevalent among the Mennonite and Amish, the latter a growing population group in southeastern York County.

According to a news release, the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society is offering 10-week classes in the Pennsylvania Dutch language and culture... .

Dorothy Kaspar listens as Butch Reigart of Columbia reads from 'Der Haahne Greht,' a book of Pennsylvania Dutch poems, during a Pennsylvania Dutch language class at Dover Township's Providence Place in 2006. Reigart will be teaching a similar class at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. Dutch vs. English? York County debate still perking in 1920s and German or English? Churches disputed language

"Recapture a piece of your Pennsylvania German family history. Learn to speak with your Amish and Mennonite neighbors."

So says a release from the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society about an upcoming class on the Pennsylvania German language.

"Learning the 'Dutch' language you will better understand and appreciate the warm and colorful Pennsylvania German culture that is a hallmark of Lancaster County, in general, and of its Plain People, in particular."

The release could have said York County, too... .