THE IMAGE OF THE OLD ORDER AMISH: GENERAL AND SOCIOLINGUISTIC STEREOTYPES.

This paper describes the image of the Old Order Amish in both popular and academic work and addresses the question of how stereotypes about them are formed. Two kinds of stereotype are examined; the first pertaining to the Amish lifestyle in general, and the second dealing more specifically with their verbal behavior, in particular their relationship with the English language. In both areas, the tendency to over-exoticize and "over-distance" the Amish from the social mainstream is evident. However, the reality of Amish society, and the key to its overall success, is its ability to strike a balance between preservation of tradition and adaptation to the changing world which both surrounds and inextricably includes them. Central to a balanced view of Amish society and culture is a proper understanding of the degree to which, socially, technologically and linguistically, they assimilate as a minority group with the rest of North American society. The focus of this paper is a minority group within North American society which, despite its relatively small size, is quite well known, yet almost equally widely misunderstood. Specifically, the group referred to is the Old Order Amish, who today number approximately 125,000 to 150,000 in the United States and Canada.