Abstract
German Language, Cradle of our Heritage provides a window into the social story behind heritage language maintenance among High German-speaking Swiss Mennonites (as opposed to the Low German-speaking Netherlandic Mennonites). Pennsylvania German, also known as Pennsylvania Dutch, is a variety of New World High German, historically spoken in the Old Order Mennonite community, among others. As with many heritage languages in the United States today, Pennsylvania German has faced obsolescence due to a gradual contraction of the appropriate social settings for heritage language. In these communities, American English use expands and fills the social spaces that were historically reserved for the heritage language. [First paragraph]
Recommended Citation
Burns, Roslyn. 2020. "Review of: Hoover, Amos B. 2018. German Language, Cradle of Our Heritage: A Study of the Importance of the Pennsylvania German Language and the Struggles in Maintaining It in a Modern English Environment. Special Attention Is Given to Its Effect on People; on Anabaptists in General, and Old Order Mennonites in Particular. Ephrata, PA: Self-published. 311pp, h/c, $65.00." Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies 8(1):95-96.
ISSN
2471-6383