10 Comments

Back around WWI many German immigrants changed or anglicized their names.

My German ancestors came over at a good time. Late enough to be considered basically white, early enough to be settled a generation plus before that war made the lineage very unpopular.

So, none of my Dad’s or Mom’s family took up the nickname “Dutch”.

I am Dutch-Canadian. Born in Amsterdam.
In normal English, the word Dutch refers to anyone or anything from the Netherlands, or to Holland (which, to be possibly more confusing, is two provinces of tHe Netherlands). Germany is another country, and its adjective, in German, is “Deutch” you see where further confusion has snuck in.
The so-called Pennsylvanian Dutch are actually Pennsylvanian Germans.
The Dutch word for the Dutch language, by the way, is “Nederlands”, or “Hollands”. Dutch is also spoken in Belgium, where it subsists in uneasy coexistence with Frencn.
Dutch vs German is not a trivial difference. The very oldest Dutch still resent the Germans from way back during WWII.

I like how these three hang out with each other.
I feel that, when she wants to, that Patricia can light up any room that she goes into.
:D

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.