Typical Basel – Bebbis, Fasnacht and Sports

Typical Basel – Bebbis, Fasnacht and Sports

The question of who is a real Basler is not easy to answer. There is actually no such thing as a real Basler. In the city city on the Rhine, people refer to themselves as «d Bebbi». And these Bebbi

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Swiss German sayings explained

Swiss German sayings explained

Many Swiss German expressions are similar to others in both English and German speaking countries like Austria. Nevertheless, there are some proverbs and sayings that an expatriate will struggle to make sense of. Take for example: „A sitzande Saager isch

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Typical Zurich – metropolis, rivalry and the “ZĂĽrischnurre

Typical Zurich – metropolis, rivalry and the “ZĂĽrischnurre

Clichés make our lives easier. We are all familiar with typical national idiosyncrasies. However, people are often accorded characteristics that are completely inappropriate and far from reality. Switzerland is a country that stands for wealth, cleanliness and a bourgeois attitude.

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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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Is speaking Standard Swiss German enough to live in Switzerland?

Is speaking Standard Swiss German enough to live in Switzerland?

Switzerland’s linguistic diversity Switzerland is certainly one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. The diversity of the landscape, it’s history, cultural background and linguistic diversity make this country an unusual place. There is no other place in the world

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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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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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