June 20, 2025. Somewhere in OsterreichThe hills are alive with ... dirndl-wearing maids on electric skateboards (apologies to Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. In my partner's hometown this past week, I'm reminded of Mark Twain's memorable thoughts on the German language*, though he was referring to high German, not the local Austrian dialect, or regular German as spoken in Wienerwurld, far to the east. Speaking of German prepositions (masculine, feminine and neuter): "In German, a young lady has no sex, while a turnip has. Think what overwrought reverence that shows for the turnip, and what callous disrespect for the girl." *A Tramp Abroad, M. Twain We've been welcomed by her extensive family to their homes with food and hospitality. As I sit in the midst of all the talk and laughter, my thoughts wander back to my two years as a guest worker in Vienna, prior to Austria's European Union entry. The country has opened remarkably since then , though Vienna license plates, like Parisien's in Provence, are hardly welcome. Earlier in the trip, my partner endured the same experience; a native of Austria, Erika speaks German and her Austrian dialect fluently, but little Spanish and no French. I know a few phrases in Spanish, (more than German) and my high-school French allows me to communicate reasonably.
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AuthorPeter J. Meehan is the author of Return to Pamplona (available through FriesenPress) and That Weekend in Albania! Check back for more blog posts soon! ArchivesCategories |
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