What are the national languages of Switzerland?
Well there’s 4 official languages: Italian, French, Romanisch and of course German. Many Swiss people also speak English as it is the most commonly taught language in European schools.
What? 4 National Languages?
Yes!
Switzerland is located between Germany, Austria, France, Italy, and Lichtenstein.
Because of these neighboring countries, Switzerland speaks German, French, Romanisch and Italian.
While all three languages are the official languages for the entire country, the prevalence of which language depends on the closeness to the relevant country.
For example, you’re going to see more German-speaking Swiss closer to Germany or Austria then you would next to Italy or France.
To make it more interesting, they don’t just speak German, they speak Swiss German.
Swiss German
Swiss-German in itself sounds like a whole other language compared to regular German (aka high German).
It’s not a written language, other than people writing it phonetically.
It’s primarily spoken and the words can vary from canton to canton. Influences from the other languages play a part as well!
It’s so different from high German (which is taught in Swiss schools and colleges) that my now-husband was able to discuss his proposal to me in Swiss German in front of me with his family, without me having a clue. I’m fluent in high German too!
Regional dialects
As mentioned above the dialects vary depending on how close they are to the other countries. You’re going to see more French influences the closer you are to France and more Italian influences the closer you are to Italy for example. French is the primary language spoken in the canton of Geneva for example, and Italian is the primary language in the canton of Tessin.
And the dialect can vary from canton to canton, city to city. So Swiss German on the border between a canton that speaks primarily French and primarily German is going to have more French and German mixed then say a canton that’s between Austria and Germany.
This is why even when two people from Switzerland are speaking to each other they still don’t always understand each other because the dialects can vary so much.
Can’t be taught
Because Swiss German is not a formal written language it’s really hard to teach.
It’s only a spoken language.
When Swiss people informally text each other in Swiss German they text more phonetically because it’s not written.
In schools they all learn what is called hoch Deutsch or a high German. High German is the academic language, and what is taught as a foreign language in the states.
Swiss German is a mix between a dialect, local slang, semi formal language and very difficult to learn if you have not been born into it. I have tried to read some of my husband’s Swiss German texts and still have no clue what he’s saying.
Is it a National Language?
Swiss German is not an official language of Switzerland. Only the formal languages are the national languages.
