[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] difference betw Dutch and German language?

[Charlotte Dubay]

Thank you, Otto. 
A note to the list:
Yes, I microfiched Posen (Sokolitz) records, and indeed, the surname Block was spelled Block, Bloch, Blech, throughout time. (DOBs and given names confirmed they were same family). 

Also, I had read some history of the high German being from the high lands - 
NOTHING to do with superiority of language - 
but the Germans of the Dakotas forgot to read that paragraph! hah. 

You clarified (Low Saxton/lowland/platt deutch) definition for me. 
I hadn't thought of it being a "dialect" of German! 
That certainly would explain it - beings it doesn't look like she ever even visited Holland! hah. 

Had to google "Frisian" - a German ethnic group from Netherland area, in case someone else doesn't know.
Thank you again, Otto 
And thank you, Frank, for confirming that I had the right Heimthal!

Charlotte DuBay
hoeserhistory at aol.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Otto <otto at schienke.com>
To: Charlotte Dubay <hoeserhistory at aol.com>
Cc: ger-poland-volhynia <ger-poland-volhynia at sggee.org>
Sent: Fri, Sep 13, 2013 2:23 pm
Subject: Re: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] difference betw Dutch and German language?



On Sep 13, 2013, at 2:51 PM, Charlotte Dubay wrote:

> 
> What pleasure this mailing list brings...thank you all...
> 
> Another question, triggered by your posts:
> My Block ancestors (German Lutherans) lived in Posen area (about 100 NE of 
Berlin) from 1700-1892, until my great-grandparents came to USA. 
> 
> My great-grandmother Wilhelmina Meyer Block spoke Dutch, but was born in 
Posen, baptized in near-by Lobsens.
> 
> Any ideas on why grgrandmother spoke Dutch? If her parents were Dutch, you 
would still think she learned German in Posen. How different does Dutch sound 
from German? (Great-grandmother passed away 2 years before I was born, so I 
never heard anyone speak Dutch. Guess I should google a translation program and 
hear what it at least "sounds" like!)


Block, Bloch, Blech as the spelling dances with the vowel sound. Block sounds 
anglicized, (ck use). . .maybe.
Grandma probably spoke a Frisian (name sounds frisian) or Lower Saxon dialect. 
Very similar to Dutch(Deutsch).  All are Lowland German dialects. The German of 
the North Sea and Baltic coast shores was Platt-Deutsch, Flatland/Lowland 
German.

She didn't learn German from anyone in Posen, she already spoke it. 
Since 1871 it became fashionable to speak the "Hochdeutsch"/High German of 
Luther's bible (in public anyway) High German has nothing to do with superiority 
of language, it was geographical, the speech of the hill dwellers from Luther's 
vicinity. I refer to it as 'hilly saxon.'

. . .   Otto
         " The Zen moment..." wk. of January 01, 2013-
                _____________________________________
                  "Answers out there . . .  Seeking us."