Amish Education: A Synthesis
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist
Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2015.
3(1):1-24.
Amish Language Research: A Review
Handbook of the Changing World Language Map
Edited by Stanley D. Brunn and Roland Kehrein. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Anderson, Cory. 2019.
Pp. 939-61
Research Points
- All Amish and two Amish-Mennonite denominations (Tampico and Midwest) employ English and two German variants: Pennsylvania Dutch/German (PG), which is primarily spoken, and an archaic High German (HG) sourced from written religious texts.
- PG is the main spoken language and is unstandardized. HG is used for sacred texts. English is the language of education, writing, and some work.
- Most Amish language research focuses on structure/stability and advance one of two main theoretical orientations:
Domain-Isolation Theory
John A. Hostetler, et al.
Insider/outsider dichotomy, Amish vs. outside world
Amish as subgroup within broader society
English mixed with PG indicates assimilation
Increased switching to English suggests PG
language loss due to greater dependence on outside
world
Geo-social isolation key to language retention
Functionalist-Role Theory
Werner Enninger, Marion Lois Huffines, Mark, Louden
Amish as subgroup within broader society
English mixed with PG suggests functional adaption to new linguistic demands
PG language loss when language disassociates
from identity or functionality decreases
Functionality / sectarian identity key to language retention
- A small Amish language research area addressing naming practices including nicknames and surnames.
Access Related Content From The Project: "Reviews by Topic"
The Undistinguished Scholar of the Amish, Werner Enninger, -or- Has the Time Yet Come for Rigorous Theory in Amish Studies?
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2017.
5(2):196-238.
Review Essay of Horse-and-Buggy Genius[Loewen], Pennsylvania Dutch [Louden], and The Amish [Nolt]
Rural Sociology
Anderson, Cory, and Joseph Donnermeyer. 2018.
83(2):470-77.
A Critical Appraisal of Amish Studies’ De Facto Paradigm, ‘Negotiating with Modernity’
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
Anderson, Cory, Joseph Donnermeyer, Jeffrey Longhofer, and Steven D. Reschly. 2019.
58(3):725-42.
The Amish Health Culture and Culturally Sensitive Health Services: An Exhaustive Narrative Review.
Social Science & Medicine
Anderson, Cory, and Lindsey Potts. 2020.
265:113466.
Physical Health Conditions of the Amish and Intervening Social Mechanisms: An Exhaustive Narrative Review.
Ethnicity & Health
Anderson, Cory, and Lindsey Potts. 2022.
27(8):1952-78.
The Cultural and Religious Complexities of Amish-Focused Mental Health Conditions Research: Insights from an Exhaustive Narrative Review and Case Study of Counseling Controversies.
Mental Health, Religion & Culture.
Anderson, Cory, and Lindsey Potts.
The Work of Pioneering Amish Studies Scholar Walter Kollmorgen: Annotations of His 1940s Amish Publications
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Anderson, Cory. 2023.
11(1):95-105.
© 2024 • Cory Anderson • All Rights Reserved