4145 Country Club Road
“Yiddish and Pennsylvania Dutch”
Today, about one-half of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages are in danger of losing their native speakers. However, a small number of languages associated with highly traditional Jewish and Christian groups are resisting the pressure of linguistic assimilation and are thriving. The two most widely spoken of these exceptional languages are, coincidentally, historically related to one another: Yiddish and Pennsylvania Dutch. In this presentation we will explore the success of Yiddish and Pennsylvania Dutch, which is connected to the demographic health of their main speaker populations, the Hasidim and the Amish.
Mark L. Louden is the Director of the Max Kade Institute for German American Studies, and an affiliate faculty member in the Mosse/Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his undergraduate and graduate education at Cornell University. Professor Louden taught for 12 years at the University of Texas at Austin before joining the UW-Madison faculty in 2000. His research focuses mainly on heritage Germanic languages spoken in North America, especially Pennsylvania Dutch and Yiddish. He serves as a medical and legal interpreter, cultural mediator, and patient navigator for Amish and traditional Mennonites.
10:30-10:50 – Check-in
11:00-12:30 – Program
12:30-1:30 – Lunch
Menu: Caesar Salad, assorted Artisan Rolls and Mini Muffins. Choice of entrée: Pesto Crusted Sea Bass or Roasted Vegetable Napoleon, White and Wild Rice Blend, Steamed Asparagus Dessert: Tiramisu
Register by phone at 608-442-4081, or via mail / in-person at Jewish Social Services, 6300 Enterprise Lane, #309, Madison, WI 53719. You can print out the registration form here: Levy Registration Form