3.5 Swiss-German vs German
Description
This article is from the Switzerland FAQ, by Marc Schaefer schaefer@alphanet.ch with numerous contributions by others.
3.5 Swiss-German vs German
You have to know that Swiss-German is very different from German.
Also, there is not one Swiss-German, but on the contrary a lot of
dialects: The dialects spoken in Bern (one of the easiest to learn,
though native German may prefer anything closer to Germany (SH/TG/SG
or even ZH)) is different from the one which is spoken in Graubuenden
or Zuerich. Also, there is no real written form (they tend to also be
written nowadays, e.g. on advertising). Virtually all Swiss-Germans
know German from the compulsory school, with a strong ``Swiss''
accent. In the technical world, however, English is becoming very
popular.
It is better to know (or at least understand) Swiss-German if one
wants to be integrated: besides, a lot of Swiss-Germans know English
and French as well.
In almost all German speaking countries, such regional dialects are
used (Germany, Austria) and in the Romandie (French speaking part of
Switzerland), the regional dialects (patois) have disappeared only in the
last two centuries, leaving very small regions where only a few people
still know their patois. Ticinesi used to speak the Lombardic dialect
of Italian, very different from the Tuscan standard.
Tom BUTZ says about spoken Swiss German: If translated literally,
colloquial language may come across as a bit rude, so be careful when
attempting translations for the squeamish/politically correct.
For example:
`Da isch an Huraseich' -- that's a load of bull dust - literally
translates to: that's a prostitute's urine.
`Am Sunntig goent mr i'd Beiz go fraesse' -- on Sunday we'll go to the
pub and eat there.
`Fraesse' normally is what
animals do (humans `aesse').
And there are a few pitfalls, even if you thought you were fluent in
(ordinary) German: slippery roads are not `glatt' but `iisig'. If they
are `glatt' they are fun.
`Riechen' (to smell) is `schmoecke' (to taste): so `do you smell
something ?' becomes: `schmoecksch oeppis ?'.
Another reason a foreigner would want to understand/read/speak Swiss
German ? Apart from fitting in, this would be planning to go to the
Basel Carnival (Morgestraich) and being able to find out what it's all
about. All printed matter will be in Swiss German, just like
everything else on parade. If that one's a bit hard on you, try
Neuchatel's carnival: there it's `only' (ordinary) French.
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