Description

Naszŏ Mŏwa we Texajsie Ślōnsko-Texōnski Dykcjōnŏrz

Excerpts from the introduction by the author:
I am calling this book Naszŏ Mŏwa we Texajsie or Our Mother Tongue in Texas, by which I understand a Texas Silesian (Slavic) dictionary. It is unique, since there has not been a dictionary of this sort ever written as far as I know. I dedicate it to all those brave first settlers who came in search of bread (“za chebym”) and a new place to live. It was hard for them to leave their homeland. Many left relatives behind and had no idea what their new endeavor would bring. Their hopes and dreams were not realized right away, as they had to work the land and carve out a living in this new place called Texas. As hard as it was, they persevered because they had their faith in God and something they held in common – their language. Even though they came from different parts of Silesia, they fused their words into one common “gŏdka” (language) that became their own – today’s Texas Silesian.

About the author:
Sally Sekula Schaefer was born in Cestohowa, Texas. She is one of ten children born to Isidore and Barbara Moy Sekula.
Sally is a descendant of the immigrants from Upper Silesia, who in the nineteenth century settled in Texas.

After high school, she studied at Edgewood College and Journalism at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

She is a proud mother of three children and is very grateful to her relatives and neighbors for helping her to keep her mother-tongue alive.