German dialect in Texas is one of a kind, and dying out

[August]

I think that ethnic map is somewhat misleading it's not like you go from Germany to Mexican or English to French etc just by crossing a county line. There is a lot more ethnic mixing than the map implies. Most Americans are mutts. That's why they call us the melting pot.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by August

I think that ethnic map is somewhat misleading it's not like you go from Germany to Mexican or English to French etc just by crossing a county line. There is a lot more ethnic mixing than the map implies. Most Americans are mutts. That's why they call us the melting pot.

That's very true...

Like i said, I'm part German, Italian, English, and Irish I do believe. I know my Mom's side is German/Italian and Dad's side definitely has English and I'll have to check up on the Irish part.

I'm one of those Mutts.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Our little town has been around for a heck of a long time. Our church was built in 1856 and it still stands. The town was here well before that.

That proofs it again. For Europeans 200 miles is a long way to drive and for Americans 200 years is a long time.

The area of my town was first mentioned in 1347 (which is pretty young for the surrounding area which have settlements dating back more than a 1000 years).
(Which in turn is laughable for Egyptians and the like...)

[Penguin]

A pretty unique lingo mix. As you can see from the names of the houses, the Germans who settled Texas came from all German regions which have quite different and distinguishable dialects by themselves. So even without throwing Texan English into the mix, it created a unique blend - given that during the 19th century, we had no official standard German accent and the people have been much less mobile.

I have often heard 1st gen immigrants using the English sentence structure when speaking German after living some time overseas, so the mix-up happens pretty fast.

The scene from the bowling alley somehow represents the German-American mix the best: they go "kegeling" in a 9 pin bowling alley, though they play with American bowling balls. In Germany we use beautiful and of course superior balls without holes .

Last but not least: the besterest and greatest Texan politician also has a German, slightly americanized last name - I am certainly not beating around the Bush, talking about the Kinkster.

Originally Posted by Dan D

Fun to read, if you consider the hostile stance towards immigrants to Germany in Germany nowadays. We need something like 5 million immigrants to Germany over the next 25 years to keep this brothel running. Who will pay [EDIT] the "retirement pensions for the old folks" otherwhise with a population shrinking dramatically? I don't know the reason:, but people are hesitant to immigrate to Germany. It is a fun place here in Germany, the beautiful Rhine river and all that. Come to Germany. Germany needs you. I think we have an image problem.

I wouldn't mind having less people live in this overcrowded country - more chance to find a parking lot.