Hello Two small hints : Abreviations are standard in German M.A= Maria Anna Al = Albert hint.=hinterher (afterwards) Guillaume - Mulhouse - France ----- Message d'origine ----- De : Joann À : SWITZERLAND-L@rootsweb.com Envoyé : dimanche 28 novembre 1999 21:58 Objet : [SWITZ] Genealogical records A cousin recently returned from Switzerland with a copy of a book which traces my BETSCHART family in the church records of Muotathal, Kanton Schwyz, back to the late 15th Century... I am reveling in genealogical heaven right now, transcribing and translating to the best of my ability. A couple of things are puzzling me about these records. 1. A lot of times they abbreviate first names. Jos., Joh., Frz., M.A., Kath. -- are pretty clearly Josef, Johann, Franz, Maria Anna, Katharina -- but what might Al. stand for? And are these abbreviations standard as Jas. and Thos. are in English -- so that if I run into M.A. Regina, I know it's Maria Anna Regina and not, say, Martha Agnes Regina? 2. My great-great grandmothers' name is given as "Brigitta Betschart/hint. Hoftrog." Does this mean that her maiden name was Hoftrog and that she was married to someone named Betschart before she married my great-great grandfather, or vice versa, or something else entirely? (On her funeral card her name was given as Brigitta Betschart-Betschart.) 3. Is there a Web site or a good dictionary that deals specifically with Swiss-German dialect? (The only Web site I've found so far deals with slang and dirty words... amusing, perhaps, but not very useful for these purposes.) Incidentally, I will do lookups in this book, which is called "Betschart von Muotathal," if anyone needs/wants them. Joann Betschart (Lunzä Schützenhaus) Betscharts from Muotathal list information: http://www.egroups.com/list/betscharts/ ==== SWITZERLAND Mailing List ==== Going on vacation? Gone longer than 4 days? mail to Switzerland-L-request@rootsweb.com subject line: unsubscribe nothing in message