The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-02-28
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.
The Dialect Rapidly Going Out OF Use and
English Taking Its Place.

English Taking Its Place.
In twenty-five or thirty years, II not
before, the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect
will be TO all intents and purposes a
dead language. There have been very
great changes during the last ten or fif-
teen years and the rapidity with which
they are taking place is being aceeler-
ated every year This is noticeable in
the churches, in the newspapers, in the
language OF business, In intercourse with
the people, and in the increased facility
with which one who does not under
stand the dialect can make himself un-
derstood wherever he goes. When the
Presbyterian Church was founded in
Reading, Pa, about half a century ago.
IL was done chiefly because there were
few people who wanted to have English
preaching, and the only way to have II
was 70 found new church. Now there
are only three or four out of forty
churches where the services are con-
dubted in the German language.
score OF years ago there was split
in the Trinity Lutheran church, the
largest in Reading, because some Of the
members wanted one service each week
In English Now for a long time past
ell the services Of that church have been
in English. In the country all the young
people who come up for confirmation"
have been taught the catechism in En-.
glish, and where they have not already
been granted it they are clamoring for
English services In the churches, and
all the old-style preachers who have
been accustomed to delivering German
sermons all Of their lives find that they
must begin TO yield a little to the new
demands or sacrifice their usefulness
and popularity. Every parent who is
ambitious for his children desires that
they shall learn tospeak English, every
young man and woman feels that to do
so Is q much desired accomplishment
and there are few Of the younger gener.
alton who are not able TO understand
and carry on conversation in the Ian.
guage Of the country, though in theiI
homes and in their ordinary business
they may use the Pennsylvania Dutch
Nearly all of the last generation were
taught to read, and many of them tc
write, German in the schools which were
attached to the churches. Since the es.
tablishment of the common-school sys
tenn these have gradually died out, and
there is probably not one of them left
The early newspapers Of the country
were all German, and there are still
quito number Of them published, but
they seem destined to die out in com
paratively short time for want of sub
scribers who will be able to read them
Tho proprietors of the Adler. one of the
pioneer newspapers Of Pennsylvania
which was founded over century ago
have recognized the direction in which
things are tending by issuing an English
papcr to take the place of the German
edition. The same precaution has been
taken by the owner Of the Kutztowu
journal, an old and influential German
paper.
The time OF the war, and for a few
years thereafter, the Adler was still q
great power in politics, and what 1t said
was widoly quoted and commented upon,
but for the last fifteen years IL has
scarcely been heard of, even in the most
exciting political campaigns, and no one
who wishes TO address tho public on any
political subject thinks Of doing SC
through the journal that for nearly 4
century was ono Of the great Democratic
organs OF Pennsylvania, and was known
fer and wide as the Berks County Bible.
This is not because the Adler is nc
longer good newspaper, but because il
is printed in a language which is being