The Pinzgau "dialect" ... where the estate & family names come from, fun facts from the archive & a quiz

A widespread theory suggests that people's language adapts to the respective environment. In the Alps, pronunciation is often harsh and harsh, while the dialects and languages in countries with a flat and gentle landscape have often developed a softer and rounder sound. And if you listen more closely, you can recognize the subtlest differences in the various regions of the Pinzgau.


Eggerhof farm hotel. In the foreground sits a boy surrounded by goats. | © Hotel Eggerhof


Manor & family names and their meanings

Many of the farm names indicate the landscape conditions or the trade carried out at the time. Family names, on the other hand, describe the occupation, status or unusual characteristics of the bearer of the name. People were extremely creative when it came to giving surnames and nicknames.

For example, butchers were given names such as Kalbsohr, Sauhaut or Schweinshaupt and small goods traders Theuerfeil or Pfennbert. Animal names such as Beer (bear), Badger, Wolf, Schnegg and many others were also popular.

Some examples from the valley that some of you may recognize:
  • Reit - a piece of land that was reclaimed by "riuten" (reuten)
  • Kohlmais – Coal maize - reference to coal mining
  • Gersteit – derived from barley as a crop

Gasslreim

The Glemmer have always been a sociable village - and so over the course of time many funny, contemplative, profound and mocking texts have been written. Today, these pieces are valuable contemporary witnesses that provide an insight into the language and character of our ancestors.

... and how fit are you in the Pinzgau dialect?

Scientifically correct spelling of the dialect is only possible with phonetic transcription. However, this is difficult for laypeople to read and extremely difficult to write on a computer keyboard. For this reason, the following words are written in a way that is also legible for "Pinzgau newcomers".


And off we go!

1. agrat

a) accurate, careful, straight
b) straight ahead
c)  always keep right

2. zåmmschwanzn

a) playing truant together
b) pull yourself together to succeed
c) make up, make beautiful

3. Simsbleame

a) Balcony flowers
b) popular name of a cow
c) Meadow herbs

4. Trittleng

a) Step length
b) Wooden shoe
c) Glove

5. Baischl

a) Damenhandtasche
b) Lunge
c) Bierglas

6. Beeweiwe

a) Honeycomb
b) Berry picker
c) Berry bush

7. Gschwistarat Kinna 

a) Nieces, nephews
b) common school children
c) Twin sisters

8. Bagasch

a) Goulash dish
b) Riff-raff
c) Astrological sign

9. Bisgurn

a) frayed sewing thread
b) snappy bitch
c) evil woman

10. Ziwaz

a) Brennholz-Anzünder
b) weihnachtliche Süßspeise
c) nervöse, übereilige Frau

11. Tschoopf

a) hot cooking pot
b) Hair
c) Natural creatures from the legend of the valley head

12. rommeg

a) Card game
b) Popular hot drink
c) dirty (on the face)

13. Gezeed

a) tangled, long hair
b) Loud wailing of the neighbor's wife
c) Castle at the cowshed


And - how many points did you achieve?

  • 13–10 Punkte: PERFECT! 
  • 9–6 Punkte: It's ok
  • 5–2 Punkte: Oh no, you have to learn
  • 1–0 Punkte: Ohhh, maybe we will learn you the basics
"Pfiad enk God!"

Puzzle solution:
1. A) 2. c) 3. a) 4. b) 5. b) 6. b) 7. a) 8. b) 9. c) 10. c) 11. b) 12. c) 13. a)


Image and text source: www.saalbach.com