Indigenous Languages Find a Home

The most translated website in the world—jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses—includes content in more than 1,040 languages, including many native tongues that have limited written resources.

Among them is Pennsylvania German, often called Pennsylvania Dutch. Although the language was more widespread a century ago, it is still spoken by approximately 400,000 people throughout the United States and Canada, primarily among Amish and Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

Jane Zimmerman, who grew up speaking Pennsylvania Dutch at her home in Lancaster, has noticed less enthusiasm for the language among younger generations. “My daughter is impressed we still speak Dutch,” she said. “She has noticed her friends will listen to a sermon in Pennsylvania German, then right after, they all speak English.”

Even among fluent speakers, few learn to read and write their native language, partly due to the lack of written material. This includes a complete Pennsylvania Dutch translation of the Bible, which is now available but is still not commonly found in native-speaking homes.

For Jane's husband Jerry, the Pennsylvania Dutch resources on jw.org, including the complete Bible, have helped him embrace his culture while deepening his faith. “It’s an emotional thing how language is attached to the culture,” he explained. “We speak English, but it’s a foreign tongue to us. This is the language of our heart.”

“Translating is a labor of love for all those involved and for our organization,” said Robert Hendriks, the U.S. spokesman of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The work is challenging and time-consuming. But our goal isn’t to make a profit, it’s to provide the Bible’s comforting message clearly and accurately to as many people as possible.”

Sharing the Bible’s message of hope and comfort in local Pennsylvania Dutch communities has been a powerful experience for the Zimmermans. “When people hear their mother tongue, we get smiles,” said Jerry.

“I like to see the person’s facial expression when they see a video in their language and see how happy they are,” said Julianne, the Zimmermans’ 12-year-old daughter. In addition to short videos, jw.org has two feature-length films about the lives of Daniel and Nehemiah available in Pennsylvania Dutch.

Native speakers can read the Bible online and find many other written and audio resources on the website, including a useful section entitled, Bible Questions Answered. “The message is simple, easy-to-understand and the audio is done by someone who speaks very well,” said Jerry.

“Most in my generation have some sort of cell phone, so I love pointing out the website to Pennsylvania Dutch speakers,” said Julia Zimmerman, 22. “They are shocked. It just puts a smile on their face.”

Visit jw.org to access resources in Pennsylvania Dutch or one of the other 1,048 languages.