Re: [Cz-L] Are you from Rumania ?

Technically, we were all of us from Romania.
To each other and to those in the know, we were from Czernowitz.
Those who are not in the know, require a long explanation, a lesson
in political and cultural history.

Personally, I did not know any Romanian, while I lived in Czernowitz.
I spoke Czernowitzer German, learned to read both Gothic and Latin letters.
With elderly relatives, or those from the villages, we spoke Yiddish.
My parents spoke Ruthenian to the peasants at the market and before the war,
to our maid Annetza. Afiya, the washer-woman, even though Polish, spoke
fluent Yiddish
Now, no matter whether I speak English, Hebrew or German, I am usually asked
where I come from. The only exception to this happens when I visit Austria;
No one asks me where I am from. Of course, I make sure I do not "Yiddle".
On the other hand, I love speaking Czernowitzer German, pronouncing words in
a close to Yiddish way, including Ruthenian and Romanian words and phrases.
Never do I feel as much at home as when I speak this lingo.

Mimi

On 3/2/10 4:48 PM, "Arthur von Czernowitz" <vonczernowitz_at_yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dear Anny,
> I always look forward for your e-mails, they are always informative and
> you have knack writing. I lived 20 years in Germany and was also told that my
> German is without a regional accent.
> You forgot Trottoir instead of Bürgersteig, Volan instead of Lenkrad and
> Plafon insted of Decke.
>
> All the best
>
> Arthur
>
>
>

-snip-
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Received on 2010-03-03 10:03:16