they learn english at an one-room schoolhouse & they learn german from the bible. they strictly speak german to each other, but they speak english to citizens. can they learn a different language?
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yes gibberish
I´ve never thought about THAT..(good question) But I don´t know the answer!! sorry
Probably not.
If you’re interested in the Amish, a really good set of novels to read is The Heritage of Lancaster County. The author is the granddaughter of an Amish woman who traded in Amish life for English life. Really good.
Who are amish people?
They don’t speak german; they speak a language a lot like German, but they don’t speak the kind of German spoke in Germany; they refer to that as “high German”.
Not that I have a great deal of experience with the Amish. However, I went to school in rural Ohio, and interacted with a variety of Amish, so from what I can gather, at least the more liberal sects of Amish are allowed to speak English, technically what would be considered to them “another language”, so I don’t see why they wouldn’t be allowed to learn a less encountered language, like Japanese, or Spanish.
Most Amish are trilingual. They speak a dialect of German called Pennsylvania Dutch at home; they use High German at their worship services; and they learn English at school. They speak English when they deal with anyone who is not Amish.
My Mennonite girlfriend, who was allowed to attend high school, did take French classes with me. Old Order Amish, however, fight to keep their children out of public schools. The Amish schools they attend only go through 8th grade and do not teach anything more than what is necessary to maintain their simple, family oriented lives.
There probably is no formal rule against it amongst the Amish, but because they stick to themselves so much it would be discouraged in their culture. There are some Amish in Mexico. If they were getting ready to move of course it would be alright.