Spelling Variants in German Documents: Difference between revisions

From FamilySearch Wiki
VisualWikitext
(added Mondtag)
No edit summary
(84 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
In this day and age of high literacy and standardization, we are used to, indeed expect, that what we see in print will be uniform. For example, we can look up words in dictionaries to find the ‘correct spelling.’ However, such has not always been the case. Centuries ago, there were no dictionaries available to dictate ‘correct spelling’ and most dictionaries that were available were designed to give definitions, not spelling. Most writers from before the 18th century would have found the idea of a single spelling for any particular word rather odd. If several possible spelling variants are available, why should one be limited to only one choice? Early writers certainly took advantage of the many possibilities available to them. After all, variety is the spice of life. In modern German, the sound represented by the English word ‘I’ can be rendered by ‘ei, ai, ey,’ and ‘ay.’ Again, writers from previous centuries could and did use any of these to render the ‘I’ sound.  
In this day and age of high literacy and standardization, we are used to, indeed expect, that what we see in print will be uniform. For example, we can look up words in dictionaries to find the ‘correct spelling.’ However, such has not always been the case. Centuries ago, there were no dictionaries available to dictate ‘correct spelling’ and most dictionaries that were available were designed to give definitions, not spelling. Most writers from before the 18th century would have found the idea of a single spelling for any particular spelling rather odd. If several possible spelling variants are available, why should one be limited to only one choice? Early writers certainly took advantage of the many possibilities available to them. After all, variety is the spice of life. In modern German, the sound represented by the English word ‘I’ can be rendered by ‘ei, ai, ey,’ and ‘ay.’ Again, writers from previous centuries could and did use any of these to render the ‘I’ sound.  


<br>In this article we will look at spellings that deviate from standard modern German that appear&nbsp;in genealogical documents. In the vast majority of cases, the variant spellings represent the same pronunciation as the standard form. We will not consider personal names or words that have Latin endings, such as ‘Aprilis.’ (Click here to see articles on [[Low German Language in German Research|Low German]] and [https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/The_Dialect_Basis_of_Spelling_Variation_in_German_Surnames dialect basis of spelling variation&nbsp;in German surnames]). We will, however, consider some place names.<br>So, the researcher should not be alarmed, nor think the scribe ‘did not know how to spell,’ when he encounters these variants.&nbsp; Many of these variants will be found well into the 19th century.  
<br>In this article we will look at spelling that deviate from standard modern German that appear fairly often in genealogical documents. In the vast majority of cases, the variant spellings represent the same pronunciation as the standard form. We will not consider personal names or words that have Latin endings, such as ‘Aprilis.’ (Click here to see articles on [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/The_Low_German_Language_in_German_Research Low German ]and [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/The_Dialect_Basis_of_Spelling_Variation_in_German_Surnames dialect basis of spelling in German]). We will, however, consider some place names.<br>So, the researcher should not be alarmed, nor think the scribe ‘did not know how to spell,’ when he encounters these variants.&nbsp; Many of these variants will be found well into the 19th century.  


{| width="200" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
{| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="200"
|-
|-
| Standard&nbsp;German  
| Standard&nbsp;German  
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Variant
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Variant
|-
| Ältester
| A'ltister*
|-
|-
| abends  
| abends  
| abendts, abendtz
| abendts
|-
| achtzehn
| achtzehen
|-
|-
| April  
| April  
| Aberil, Abril, Appril
| Aberil, Abril
|-
|-
| Amt  
| Amt  
| Ambt
| Ambt
|-
|-
| auf               &nbsp;  
| auf&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  
| auff, uff&nbsp;
| auff, uff&nbsp;
|-
|-
| bei  
| bei  
| bey, beÿ
| bey, beÿ
|-
| beiden
| baiden
|-
|-
| beigelegt-  
| beigelegt-  
| beÿgelägt-
| beÿgelägt-
|-
| Braut<br>
| Braud, Brautt<br>
|-
| Bräutigam<br>
| Breutigam, Breütigam<br>
|-
|-
| copuliert  
| copuliert  
| copulirt
| copulirt
|-
| dessen
| desen
|-
|-
| Dienstag  
| Dienstag  
Line 53: Line 35:
| -dorff
| -dorff
|-
|-
| dreißig, dreissig
| ehelich  
| dreisig, dreÿzig
| ehlich
|-
| ehelich(e)
| ehlic, eelich
|-
| Eheleute
| Eheleuth
|-
| ehrbar-
| Ehrbahr-
|-
|-
| ein(en)  
| ein(en)  
Line 69: Line 42:
|-
|-
| elf  
| elf  
| eilf, ölf
| eilf
|-
|-
| elften  
| elften  
Line 75: Line 48:
|-
|-
| Eltern  
| Eltern  
| Aeltern,&nbsp;Æltern,&nbsp;&nbsp; Ältern,&nbsp;ältern, Elteren&nbsp;**
| Aeltern, Ältern <span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1310566163557_732" />
|-
| ehrbar-
| Ehrbahr-
|-
|-
| Ernte  
| Ernte  
Line 84: Line 60:
|-
|-
| erzeugt  
| erzeugt  
| erzeüget, erzeigt
| erzeüget
|-
| Feiertag
| Feyertag
|-
|-
| Frau  
| Frau  
Line 95: Line 68:
| freÿ, fraÿ
| freÿ, fraÿ
|-
|-
| Freiheit
| Freitag&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  
| Freÿheit
|-
| Freitag           &nbsp;&nbsp;  
| Freytag, Freÿtag
| Freytag, Freÿtag
|-
|-
| gebürtig
| geboren&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| gebürttig
|-
| geboren            
| gebohren
| gebohren
|-
|-
Line 113: Line 80:
| gnandt, genandt&nbsp;
| gnandt, genandt&nbsp;
|-
|-
| getauft              
| getauft&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| getaufft, getauffet, getowffet, getaufet, getäufft, gtoufft&nbsp;
| getaufft, getauffet&nbsp;
|-
| Getauften
| Getaufften
|-
| geteilt
| gedeild
|-
|-
| gewesen  
| gewesen  
| geweßen
| geweßen
|-
| Gezeugen
| Gezeügen
|-
| gibt
| giebt
|-
|-
| Gote  
| Gote  
| gothe
| gothe
|-
| hat
|hatt
|-
|-
| Hauptmann  
| Hauptmann  
Line 144: Line 96:
|-
|-
| Hausfrau  
| Hausfrau  
| Haußfrau, Haußfraw,&nbsp;Haußfrauw, huyßfrau, Hußfrouwe&nbsp;
| Haußfrau, Haußfraw
|-
|-
| Häusler  
| Häusler  
| Heisler
| Heisler
|-
|-
| heißt               &nbsp;&nbsp;  
| heißt&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  
| heist, hayßt, haÿßt, hëyßt
| heist
|-
|-
| Heirat-
| hiermit&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| Heirath-, Heurat-, Heÿrath-, Heyrath
| hiemit&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|-
|-
| heute
| Heirats-
| heut, heit, heite
| Heiraths-
|-
|-
| hiermit
| Heirat-&nbsp;
| hiemit
| Heurat-
|-
| hinterlassene
| hinderlassene
|-
| hochlöbliches
| hochlöebliches
|-
| Hochzeit
| Hochzeitte
|-
| ist
| iß
|-
|-
| Jahr  
| Jahr  
| iahr
| iahr
|-
| Januar&nbsp; <br>
| Jannuar, Jenner, Jänner, Jäner, ienner
|-
| Jenner, Jänner***
| ienner
|-
|-
| Juli  
| Juli  
| Julÿ
| Julÿ
|-
| junge, junger
| june, juner
|-
|-
| Juni  
| Juni  
| Junÿ
| Junÿ
|-
| kaiserlich
| kaÿßerlich
|-
| keinerlei
| keinerleÿ
|-
|-
| Kind  
| Kind  
| Chind,Kindt,Khind, Khindt, Kynd, Künd&nbsp;
| Chind,Kindt,&nbsp;Khind, Khindt, Kynd&nbsp;
|-
| Kinder<br>
| Khinder, Kinderen<br>
|-
|-
| Köln  
| Köln&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| Cöln
| Cöln
|-
|-
| konfirmiert
| Krefeld&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| konfirmirt, confirmiert, confirmirt
|-
| Krefeld  
| Crefeld
| Crefeld
|-
| läßt
| lest
|-
|-
| lassen  
| lassen  
| laßen, laßn
| laßen
|-
| ledig
| leedig, letig
|-
| Mädchen
| Mägdgen, Mädgen<br>
|-
|-
| März  
| März&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| Merz, Mertz. Märtz, März
| Merz, Mertz
|-
|-
| Mai  
| Mai  
| Mäÿ
| Mäÿ
|-
| Metzger
| Mezger
|-
| mir
| mihr
|-
| mit
| midt, mitt
|-
|Montag
|Mondtag
|-
|-
| Müller  
| Müller  
| Miller
| Miller
|-
| mitgeteilt
| mit gedeild
|-
|-
| Monat  
| Monat  
Line 254: Line 149:
| morgendts
| morgendts
|-
|-
| Name                
| Name&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| Nahme
| Nahme
|-
| nämlich
| nemlich
|-
| neun[ten]
| noin[ten]
|-
| niederkommen
| niter komen
|-
| November
| Noüembe, Nofember
|-
|-
| Oktober&nbsp;  
| Oktober&nbsp;  
| October
| October
|-
|-
| Pate           &nbsp;&nbsp;  
| Pate&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  
| Pathe
| Pathe
|-
|-
| Paten  
| Paten  
| Pathyn
| Pathyn
|-
| Samstag
| Sambßtag
|-
|-
| Schuhmacher  
| Schuhmacher  
| Schumacher
| Schumacher
|-
| sei
| seÿ
|-
|-
| sein  
| sein  
| seyn, seÿn
| seyn, seÿn
|-
| September
| Sebtember, Settember
|-
|-
| siebzig  
| siebzig  
Line 297: Line 171:
|-
|-
| sind  
| sind  
| seint, seindt, seynd, seÿnd&nbsp;
| seint, seindt&nbsp;
|-
| Söhnchen
| Söhngen
|-
|-
| Söhnlein  
| Söhnlein  
| Sohnlein, Sonlein
| Sohnlein
|-
| Sonntag
| Sontag
|-
| Tage
| Täge
|-
|-
| -tal  
| -tal  
Line 319: Line 184:
| taufen  
| taufen  
| tauffen
| tauffen
|-
| Taufregister
| Tauffregister
|-
|-
| Taufzeugen  
| Taufzeugen  
Line 327: Line 189:
|-
|-
| Tochter  
| Tochter  
| Dochter, dogter
| Dochter
|-
| Töchterchen
| Töchtergen
|-
|-
| Töchterlein  
| Töchterlein  
| tochterlein, Töchterlin
| tochterlein
|-
|-
| tot  
| tot  
| todt
| todt
|-
| treu
| treÿ
|-
|-
| tun  
| tun  
| thun
| thun
|-
| Übersetzung
| Uibersezung
|-
|-
| um  
| um  
Line 358: Line 211:
| Vater  
| Vater  
| Vatter
| Vatter
|-
| Verheiratet
| Verheigradet
|-
| Verstorbene
| Verstorbne
|-
| vierten
| virten
|-
|-
| war  
| war  
| wahr
| wahr
|-
| waren
| wahren
|-
|-
| ward  
| ward  
| wardt
| wardt
|-
| Welt
| Weld
|-
| weshalb
| weßhalben
|-
| Wiedertäufer
| Widerteuffer
|-
|-
| wird  
| wird  
| wirdt
| wirdt
|-
| Wittib
| Widdib
|-
| wohnhaft
| wonhafft
|-
| (Tauf)zettel
| (Tauf)zedel
|-
| zehnten
| zehenden
|-
| Zeuge
| Zeug, Zeig
|-
|-
| Zeugen  
| Zeugen  
| Zeigen, Zügen
| Zeigen
|-
|-
| zwanzig  
| zwanzig  
Line 412: Line 229:
| zwei  
| zwei  
| zwey, zweÿ
| zwey, zweÿ
|-
| zweiten
| zweÿden
|}
|}


&nbsp;* The ' after the A was found in the document (it is not a typo)&nbsp;and represents an 'e' to make the umlaut.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 
&nbsp;**Also found is 'alter' with an 'e' (written in regular Latin script) above the 'a.' <br>&nbsp;*** This is the standard form in Austria                   


Often, very old verb forms appear. For example, today we spell ‘scheint,’ but you might find ‘scheinet,’ with an extra ‘e.’ <br><br>This list will grow in time as the writer finds more variants to add.  
Often, very old verb forms appear. For example, today we spell ‘scheint,’ but you might find ‘scheinet,’ with an extra ‘e.’ <br><br>This list will grow in time as the writer finds more variants to add.  


Although the following is not a spelling variation, we mention it here:<br>gewesene           &nbsp;&nbsp; geweste<br>  
Although the following is not a spelling variation, we mention it here:<br>gewesene&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; geweste<br>
 
[[Category:Germany Language and Handwriting]] [[Category:Language and Handwriting]]

Revision as of 12:30, 23 March 2012

In this day and age of high literacy and standardization, we are used to, indeed expect, that what we see in print will be uniform. For example, we can look up words in dictionaries to find the ‘correct spelling.’ However, such has not always been the case. Centuries ago, there were no dictionaries available to dictate ‘correct spelling’ and most dictionaries that were available were designed to give definitions, not spelling. Most writers from before the 18th century would have found the idea of a single spelling for any particular spelling rather odd. If several possible spelling variants are available, why should one be limited to only one choice? Early writers certainly took advantage of the many possibilities available to them. After all, variety is the spice of life. In modern German, the sound represented by the English word ‘I’ can be rendered by ‘ei, ai, ey,’ and ‘ay.’ Again, writers from previous centuries could and did use any of these to render the ‘I’ sound.


In this article we will look at spelling that deviate from standard modern German that appear fairly often in genealogical documents. In the vast majority of cases, the variant spellings represent the same pronunciation as the standard form. We will not consider personal names or words that have Latin endings, such as ‘Aprilis.’ (Click here to see articles on Low German and dialect basis of spelling in German). We will, however, consider some place names.
So, the researcher should not be alarmed, nor think the scribe ‘did not know how to spell,’ when he encounters these variants.  Many of these variants will be found well into the 19th century.

Standard German    Variant
abends abendts
April Aberil, Abril
Amt Ambt
auf                  auff, uff 
bei bey, beÿ
beigelegt- beÿgelägt-
copuliert copulirt
Dienstag Dingstag
-dorf -dorff
ehelich ehlich
ein(en) ain(en)
elf eilf
elften eilften
Eltern Aeltern, Ältern
ehrbar- Ehrbahr-
Ernte Erndte
erste örste
erzeugt erzeüget
Frau Fraw
frei freÿ, fraÿ
Freitag               Freytag, Freÿtag
geboren             gebohren
Geborene Geborne
genannt gnandt, genandt 
getauft                getaufft, getauffet 
gewesen geweßen
Gote gothe
Hauptmann hauptman
Haus Hauß
Hausfrau Haußfrau, Haußfraw
Häusler Heisler
heißt                   heist
hiermit              hiemit              
Heirats- Heiraths-
Heirat-  Heurat-
Jahr iahr
Juli Julÿ
Juni Junÿ
Kind Chind,Kindt, Khind, Khindt, Kynd 
Köln                  Cöln
Krefeld              Crefeld
lassen laßen
März                 Merz, Mertz
Mai Mäÿ
Müller Miller
Monat Monath
morgens morgendts
Name                 Nahme
Oktober  October
Pate               Pathe
Paten Pathyn
Schuhmacher Schumacher
sein seyn, seÿn
siebzig siebenzig
sind seint, seindt 
Söhnlein Sohnlein
-tal -thal
tat that
taufen tauffen
Taufzeugen Taufzeügen
Tochter Dochter
Töchterlein tochterlein
tot todt
tun thun
um umb
und undt, unnd
untertan unterthan
Vater Vatter
war wahr
ward wardt
wird wirdt
Zeugen Zeigen
zwanzig zwantzig
zwei zwey, zweÿ

                     

Often, very old verb forms appear. For example, today we spell ‘scheint,’ but you might find ‘scheinet,’ with an extra ‘e.’

This list will grow in time as the writer finds more variants to add.

Although the following is not a spelling variation, we mention it here:
gewesene               geweste

Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Spelling_Variants_in_German_Documents&oldid=942654"