A Glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch Terms and Expressions
The Pennsylvania Dutch Country of Lancaster County has its own distinct vocabulary, utilizing many words and phrases that may be unusual to those ‘not from these parts’. Visitors and new residents may sometimes find themselves without a clue when talking to people born and raised here.
Therefore, we are assembling a glossary of terms and phrases to help you understand our local terminology. Hope this helps.
Borough – Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states that still use this term. The word seems to have originated in England and refers to municipalities that are smaller than cities but larger than townships. These are equivalent to ‘towns’ in other states. Each borough has its own local government. Ephrata is the largest borough in Lancaster County.
Pennsylvania Dutch – Pennsylvania Dutch is really a misnomer. It doesn’t refer to the Dutch (Netherlands) at all, but to the early German immigrants who began settling this area in the late 1600’s. These protestant groups include Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren settlers seeking religious freedom in Pennsylvania. Because of the heavy concentration of these people groups here, this whole region has been called the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Pennsylvania Dutch also refers to the German dialect spoken by local Amish. The Pennsylvania Dutch culture includes unique food traditions, hex signs, and other distinct characteristics.
