[Cz-L] Languages

   We keep getting a lot of posts on Czernowitzer proficiency on
languages, so let us put things right :

   German - as this was no longer the official language, it was not
taught in schools and the German we used was what we heard at
home and what we read. The language we used in conversation
would not be understood by ethnic Germans.
    Not to speak of grammar and literature we lacked completely.
    I am not speaking of the old timers who studied in Austrian schools.

   Romanian we spoke like a foreign language. Very faulty.
     "Matale stai la bastonul al doilea ?"( Sie wohnen am zweiten Stock).
     We only found out how little we knew ,whem we came to Rumania.
      Not to speak of the accent - special Czernowitzer.

     Yiddish - we were trained to avoid this language and not use it.
       All the Yiddish we got was from our grandparents, who knew
       nothing else . This was not very much.

        Russian, Ruthenian, Ukrainean we didn't know at all.
           We got some in the short time we went to Soviet schools.
              Not worth mentioning.
        So what language did we master ?

          The non-jewish population of Czernowitz faced the same problems.
            To describe Czernowitzer as language wizards is a little far-
fetched.

               Czernowitzers still show their talents in many other fields,
though.

                    Hardy




Hardy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This moderated discussion group is for information exchange on the subject of
Czernowitz and Sadagora Jewish History and Genealogy. Messages sent to the
 group are archived at <http://czernowitz.ehpes.com>. Please post in "Plain
 Text" if possible (help available at:
<http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/PlainText.html>).

To remove your address from this e-list follow the directions at
http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/elist/lyris/leave.html

To receive assistance for this e-list send an e-mail message to:
owner-Czernowitz-L_at_list.cornell.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on 2008-01-07 17:56:49