Schwytzertütsch: the Swiss Yiddish Home > Business Guide > Table of Contents > Work > Schwytzertütsch
If you must speak Yiddish to trade diamonds
in Antwerp, Swiss German is the language to master
in Switzerland. Not that the Swiss do not speak
German or English. They do, and usually very well.
But the Swiss Germans are so fond of their language
that if another Swiss addresses them in High
German, they are likely either to switch to another
language or answer in Swiss German. Of course,
like all Swiss, they also enjoy showing off their
English to foreigners and if you begin in English,
asking if they speak it, they will probably be glad to
oblige.
To truly belong, however, you really ought to
speak Swiss German. If you only speak English and it is apparent that you are a foreigner, the story is
different, as people will be proud to show off their
language skills. |