author
Marcus Bachman Lambert
b. 1862
A Pennsylvania scholar of language, he is best remembered for preserving the words and expressions of Pennsylvania German in reference works that still draw interest today. His books reflect both a teacher’s clarity and a deep respect for everyday speech.
1 Audiobook
Handbook of German Idioms
by Marcus Bachman Lambert
About the author
Born on January 11, 1862, in Williams Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Marcus Bachman Lambert was an American writer and language scholar associated with German and Pennsylvania German studies. Available catalog and library records identify him as the author of Handbook of German Idioms (1910) and A Dictionary of the Non-English Words of the Pennsylvania-German Dialect (1924), two practical reference works centered on how people actually spoke and wrote.
Lambert’s work suggests a strong interest in making language usable for students and general readers, not just specialists. Handbook of German Idioms was created as a guide to German expressions, while his later Pennsylvania German dictionary helped document a regional dialect that was often passed along in daily life rather than formal literature.
He died on April 29, 1942, and was buried in Durham, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A Find a Grave record also notes that he attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. No suitable verified portrait image was confirmed during this search, so none is included here.