Texas German Dialect Project
- Record and preserve Texas German
- Devote the information we collect (e.g., interview audio) to improving educational programs on language, culture, and history
- Better understand the nature of language variation and change
- Make our research available to the public
(left) Texas German Interview at the Sophienburg Archive in New Braunfels, TX.

(left) Texas German interview in Stonewall, TX.

(left) Road in the Texas Hill Country.
The Texas German Dialect Archive (TGDA)

(left) Texas German speakers at Wurstfest in New Braunfels, TX.
The TGDA is a part of the TGDP. It is an online archive of audio and transcripts from interviews with Texas Germans. Its purpose is to:
-
Preserve irreplaceable recordings of and materials relating to the Texas German language, culture, and history
-
Create an account of Texas German that can be used in historical preservation efforts. The TGDP will share this material with local schools, preservation societies, and museums concerned with preserving cultural heritage through language.
-
Make these materials accessible in order to promote further original research
As of today, the TGDA contains over 1,000 hours of interviews with over 700 Texas Germans from 46 counties. The archive contains recordings of Texas Germans telling stories about their lives (in Texas German, with transcriptions and English translations), and translations of English words and phrases into Texas German. To listen to these recordings, go to www.tgdp.org and click on “Enter Archive”
Get Involved!

(left) Texas German interview in Wall, TX.
- Typical tasks
- Conducting interviews with Texas German speakers (in German)
- Transcribing interviews (in German)
- Audio processing and segmenting (knowledge of German necessary)
- Job requirements
- Conversational knowledge of German (equivalent of GER 328 or higher) -- Your German doesn't need to be perfect, but you should be comfortable holding a prolonged conversation.
- NOT required
- Previous fieldwork experience
- Previous experience working with human subjects
- Knowledge of the software we use (Audacity, ELAN)
- A car and/or drivers licence
- Audio recording equipment
- Benefits of working with the TGDP
-
- Flexible schedule
- Positions available during the Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and throughout the summer
- Paid positions can range between 5 - 19 hours / week
- Except for the fieldwork, almost all of the work can be done at home (computer and internet access necessary)
- Training and support
- A Graduate Research Assistant will train you on all of the necessary software and guidelines relevant to your given tasks. They are also available for any questions, for troubleshooting, and for support throughout your entire time working with the TGDP.
- Experience doing fieldwork with human subjects
- Practicing interpersonal and German languages skills in a unique environment
- Gain skills in transcribing and translating interview data as well as database management
- See the impact of your work in real time
- Experience working with specialized software (Audacity, ELAN)
- Flexible schedule

(left) The authors of the Linguistic Atlas of Texas German (1972) (Glenn Gilbert) and The Life and Death of Texas German (2009) (Hans Boas).
- TGDP website
- Online video about the TGDP
- UT Germanic Studies "Community Resources" page