The red flag of Switzerland with the distinctive white cross flies proudly against the backdrop of the snow-covered Bernese Alps. Credit: Buena Vista Images/Getty Images
Swiss German often sounds completely different between Zurich, Valais and Schaffhausen — and yet it connects many people in German-speaking Switzerland with a strong sense of home and identity. While Standard German seems almost like a foreign language to some, dialect is spoken as a matter of course in everyday life. Linguistically, the matter is complicated. Emotionally, however, it is often quite clear. A conversation about language, belonging and cultural identity.
Swiss German often sounds completely different between Zurich, Valais and Schaffhausen — and yet it connects many people in German-speaking Switzerland with a strong sense of home and identity. While Standard German seems almost like a foreign language to some, dialect is spoken as a matter of course in everyday life. Linguistically, the matter is complicated. Emotionally, however, it is often quite clear. A conversation about language, belonging and cultural identity.
