Pennsylvania Dutch

English

Etymology

From their primary residence in Pennsylvania and from Palatine German Deitsch (“German”), their own endonym, gradually modified under influence from Dutch.

Noun

Pennsylvania Dutch (countable and uncountable, plural Pennsylvania Dutch)

1. (in the plural) Those people of German origin who settled in the Pennsylvania area prior to 1800, and their descendants.
   • 2023 February 1, Scottie Andrew, “The bizarre history of Groundhog Day”, in CNN‎^[1], archived from the original on 18 July 2024:

     The holiday evolved over centuries as it was observed by different groups, from the Celts to Germans to the Pennsylvania Dutch and eventually, by those in other parts of the US.

2. (uncountable) Their language, Pennsylvania German, a High German language descended from Palatine German.
3. (nonstandard) The Old Order Amish.

Synonyms

• Pennsylvania German

Derived terms

• Pennsylvania Dutch English
• Pennsylvania Dutchland

Related terms

• Black Dutch

Translations

People of Pennsylvania German origin

• German: Pennsylvanier m
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: pennsylvaniatyskere

  Nynorsk: pennsylvaniatyskarar

• Polish: Pensylwańczyk (pl) m, Pensylwanka (pl) f

language

• Cornish: Pennsylvaynek m
• German: Pennsylvaniadeutsch (de) n
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: pennsylvaniatysk (no) m

  Nynorsk: pennsylvaniatysk m

• Pennsylvania German: Deitsch n, Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch n
• Polish: język pensylwański m
• Scots: Pennsylvanish

Adjective

Pennsylvania Dutch (not comparable)

1. Related to the Pennsylvania German people or their language.

Synonyms

• Pennsylvania German