Why is Swiss German a dialect and not a language of its own?

Why is Swiss German a dialect and not a language of its own?

If you ask why Swiss German is not a language of its own, but rather ‘mere’ a dialect, you are also asking about the difference between what is termed a language and what is a dialect. This requires some clarification.

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Do all Germans understand Swiss German?

Do all Germans understand Swiss German?

This is a question that cannot be answered either with a clear yes or a definite no. Some Germans can understand it quite well. Others do not understand a word – literally. Test your knowledge Let us pose a question:

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What kind of driving licence will I need in Switzerland?

What kind of driving licence will I need in Switzerland?

EU driving licences, contrary to popular belief, are not valid everywhere. While tourists may drive a car in Switzerland with their EU driving licence for the duration of their stay, if you plan to move to the Alpine country, you

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Top 10 tips to learn Swiss German

Top 10 tips to learn Swiss German

Whether English, Spanish, French or Swiss German – it is hard to learn a language and harder still to speak it fairly fluently. No doubt, there are some people who are linguistic whizzes, but most people find it difficult to

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Living in Germany and working in Switzerland

There are thousands of cross-border workers in the Lake Constance and Breisgau region who choose to combine the best of two worlds: they live in Germany and work in Switzerland.  Salaries are higher in Switzerland and taxes and social security

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Telephone, Internet and Television in Switzerland

Telephone, Internet and Television in Switzerland

Mobile phone in Switzerland: „Es Natel“ In Switzerland, a mobile phone is called a „Natel“ or sometimes, much to the amusement of many English speakers,  „Handy“, which is the same name that is used in Germany. Before we go more

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The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Learning Swiss German

The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Learning Swiss German

This is how to start If you are already catching up on your favorite German and Swiss TV shows, movies and pop stars to help you brush up your listening skills, why not start dipping into Swiss culture too? I

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Naturalisation as a Swiss citizen

Naturalisation as a Swiss citizen

Swiss citizenship – naturalisation If you want to become Swiss, there are two ways to get Swiss citizenship, simplified naturalisation and regular naturalisation. Simplified naturalisation These are the requirements for simplified naturalisation. You must have been married for at least

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Herzlich Willkommen or Bienvenue to Charming Biel

Herzlich Willkommen or Bienvenue to Charming Biel

The charming town of Biel in canton Berne is the largest bilingual city in Switzerland. Walking through the streets and listening to the chatter in both Swiss German and French lends a unique pleasant atmosphere to the town. Hallo/Grüezi and

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