This is all very interesting. I had a great grandmother that named Margertha Dittmann. I have never been able to locate where she was from. (most likely somewhere in Pfalz Germany)Etienne's comments have given me a new lead to pursue. Maybe the answer lies in her name?   Thanks Stephan ________________________________ From: Etienne Herrbach <etienne.herrbach@wanadoo.fr> To: alsace-lorraine@rootsweb.com Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2013 2:46 AM Subject: Re: [A-L] Another German ? Record--Lost in Translation--Johannes Leman (sic) Le 21 mars 13 à 00:38, Brian J Densmore a écrit : >> Audrey, >> >> the child was born "heutte ... um Elff uhren" = today at 11 (likely >> AM, though not mentionned).  There is clearly a "l" after the E, then >> the double F (compare wonhafft = residing) > > Well, I don't know where you "clearly" get an "l" out of that chicken > scratch, but the "double f" is definitely the best explanation here,  > or a > "double s", which makes no sense and can thus be rejected. There  > really > were only two choices here, Elff of Erst. I just couldn't see an "l". And yet, there is an L.  The curve is obvious. 100 % sure. >> In German "Uhr" = hour (but also "watch", which doesnt make any sense >> here) >> >> OK, "Uhren" instead of "uhr", but this record is really full of >> mistakes, e.g. "heutte" for "heute", "nitterkomen" for >> "niedergekommen", "Dagner" for "Tagner".... in this awkward German >> mixed up with Alsatian expressions. > > I disagree strongly here. This looks very clearly to be the writing  > of a > Low German speaker. There are German dialects that use these forms. I > wouldn't call them mistakes or awkward. It's clearly wrong for High > German. What is Low/High German?  This record is from Alsace not fro northern  Germany, and as a native Alsatian speaker (Alemanic linguistic group)  and having read thousands of Alsatian records, I maintain that this  record is written in a bad German with a strong Alsatian (Alemanic)  accent. > Notice the consistent use of the initial "d" for "t". Which might also > account for grammatical differences. But I'm not an expert on Low  > German > or High German grammar, but to me this is clearly written in a Low  > German > or possibly Middle German form. As I wrote several times here, the confusions D/T, B/P, G/K, V/F (=  lenition) are typical of Alsatian accent.  See e.g. "Debartement".  Here, your name would be pronounced something between Brian and  Prian.  ;^) Edienne Nadife Alsatian sbeager

Hi Stephan, don't know for Pfaltz / Palatinate, but DIET(e)MANN is common in the Sundgau, the southmost region of Alsace, cited there since 1400. Various spellings: Diedmann, Diettemann, ... It may derive from the first name Dietrich / Didier. Source: CDHF website. Etienne Le 22 mars 13 à 03:59, Stephan Wall a écrit : > This is all very interesting. I had a great grandmother that named > Margertha Dittmann. I have never been able to locate where she was > from. (most likely somewhere in Pfalz Germany)Etienne's comments > have given me a new lead to pursue. Maybe the answer lies in her name? > > Thanks > Stephan