Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy bordering Switzerland.
| FactSnippet No. 850,863 |
14 Facts About Swiss German
2.
The only exception within Swiss German-speaking Switzerland is the municipality of Samnaun, where a Bavarian dialect is spoken.
| FactSnippet No. 850,864 |
3.
The reason "Swiss German" dialects constitute a special group is their almost unrestricted use as a spoken language in practically all situations of daily life, whereas the use of the Alemannic dialects in other countries is restricted or even endangered.
| FactSnippet No. 850,865 |
4.
Swiss Standard German is fully understandable to all Standard German speakers, while many people in Germany - especially in the north - do not understand Swissgermans.
| FactSnippet No. 850,866 |
5.
An interview with a Swiss German speaker shown on German national television therefore requires subtitles, much as an interview in Scots would on US television.
| FactSnippet No. 850,867 |
6.
Unlike most regional languages in modern Europe, Swiss German is the spoken everyday language for the majority of all social levels in industrial cities, as well as in the countryside.
| FactSnippet No. 850,868 |
7.
Swiss German is intelligible to speakers of other Alemannic dialects, but largely unintelligible to speakers of Standard German without adequate prior exposure, including for French- or Italian-speaking Swiss who learn Standard German at school.
| FactSnippet No. 850,869 |
8.
Swiss German is a regional or political umbrella term, not a linguistic unity.
| FactSnippet No. 850,870 |
9.
The main linguistic divisions within Swiss German are those of Low, High and Highest Alemannic, and mutual intelligibility across those groups is almost fully seamless, despite some differences in vocabulary.
| FactSnippet No. 850,871 |
10.
Swiss German keeps the fortis–lenis opposition at the end of words.
| FactSnippet No. 850,872 |
11.
However, no Swiss German dialect is as consistent as Icelandic in that respect.
| FactSnippet No. 850,873 |
12.
Swiss German dialects have quite a few words from French and Italian, which are perfectly assimilated.
| FactSnippet No. 850,874 |
13.
Swiss Standard German is virtually identical to Standard German as used in Germany, with most differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and orthography.
| FactSnippet No. 850,875 |
14.
The orthographies used in the Swiss-German literature can be roughly divided into two systems: Those that try to stay as close to standard German spelling as possible and those that try to represent the sounds as well as possible.
| FactSnippet No. 850,876 |