The Origins of a Truly American Language: Pennsylvania Dutch
People often assume American culture isn’t as rich as other cultures, but that simply isn’t true. Americans have developed unique values, mannerisms, art, music, and even languages across their diverse nation. One great example of this is Pennsylvania Dutch. The language didn’t evolve from Dutch, interestingly enough. It started when early German immigrants needed to escape from the Holy Roman Empire regions of Europe to avoid religious persecution. Many of them escaped to Pennsylvania, which is still 29.9% German today. These immigrants generally didn’t bring many belongings; however, they did bring a rich dialect. So, why is it called Pennsylvania Dutch? Rather than a mistranslation, it’s a corruption of the Pennsylvania German endonym Deitsch , which means “Pennsylvania Dutch/German” or “German.” The terms Deitsch, Dutch, Diets , and Deutsch are all cognates of the proto-Germanic word piudiskaz , meaning “popular” or “of the people.”
The language flourished safely within German immigrant communities and religious sects; however, while 10% of the original Pennsylvania Dutch settlers were Amish and Old Order Mennonites, today over 250,000 people speak the Germanic language, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. You might be wondering how this language is different from German, considering its roots. It’s entirely different, as it turns out. Pennsylvania Dutch shares the most similarities with the Palatine German dialect, a small southwestern region of Germany where most Pennsylvanian settlers came from. If you can speak Pennsylvania Dutch, you can likely converse with Palatine Germans to a limited extent. Can you write in Pennsylvania Dutch? Yes! However, not many speakers read and write in it, so it doesn’t have standardized spelling rules. If you’re curious to see it in print, however, look at the only Pennsylvania Dutch newspaper in the U.S.: Hiwwe wie Driwwe. Scholarly efforts have also been made to advance the language, such as the Pennsylvania German Studies minor program at Kutztown University.
We hope you enjoyed learning a new fact or two about American history! Enjoy your April!
8 Common Types of Trusts
T here are two categories of trusts: revocable and irrevocable. Revocable trusts are “living” trusts — you have control over them while you are alive. Trusts become irrevocable upon your death and are managed by your designated trustee. They are more or less set in stone, so to speak. That said, there are several subcategories of trusts that are designed to help you meet very specific objectives. Here are just a few examples of trusts commonly used by families. If you need a trust for something that isn’t on this list, contact us today. Survivor’s trusts are created to provide for a surviving spouse, domestic partner, or other loved one. There are many different types of survivor’s trusts including, but not limited to, family trusts, bypass trusts, and credit shelter trusts.
on for the grandchildren, great- grandchildren or other descendants who aren’t your own children.
Special needs trusts ensure living expenses are paid over the course of a lifetime to a person with special needs. These trusts may also be set up with the person’s own funds to provide for supplemental medical or living expenses. Charitable remainder trusts are irrevocable trusts with both income and remainder interest. Income is paid to designated beneficiaries for a certain term or lifetime. The remainder interest is paid to organizations as defined in the trust when the trust terminates. Charitable lead trusts are irrevocable trusts that generate a potential income stream for one or more charities of the donor’s choice, with the remaining assets eventually going to family members or other beneficiaries. Private foundations are charitable organizations created and funded by a donor as a trust or a nonprofit organization, which is designed for specific charitable functions, such as providing scholarships.
Guardianship trusts protect and handle the assets of minors until they reach a certain age.
Irrevocable life insurance trusts are used to hold an insurance death benefit and minimize estate taxes and can provide liquidity to pay taxes and settlement costs.
Generation-skipping trusts provide distributions for the benefit of a child for life, with the remainder continuing
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