Switzerland and Languages

Switzerland is a unique country in many ways.  One of its most unique characteristics deals with its internal linguistics.  Three distinct languages - German, French and Italian - are spoken here.  Where these languages are spoken depends largely on the shared history of Switzerland with Germany, France and Italy respectively.  Thus, German is the principal language spoken in northeastern and eastern Switzerland, where Germany and Austria are bordering countries.  French is spoken where Switzerland shares a border with France, that is, northwestern and western Switzerland.  And Italian is spoken where Switzerland shares the Alps with or otherwise adjoins Italy.

In addition to these languages, a small subset of the population in southeastern Switzerland speaks the fourth national language: Rumantsch.  Rumantsch, like French and Italian, is also derived from Latin and is thus a "Romance" language.  But to complicate things further, there are five regions where Rumantsch is spoken; each region has a different dialect; and each Rumantsch-speaking region is separated from the others, generally by German-speaking regions.

So, how do people communicate when there are more than three national languages?  The answer is simple.  Very well.  The Swiss broadcast media, for example, air programs in French, German and Italian, with dual options, including English, when a program is broadcast in its original language.  And not only do Swiss nationals communicate well with each other, they also do extremely well when a fifth language - English - is thrown into the mix.  In fact, quite a few Swiss nationals love languages generally and deliberately strive to learn others as well. 

I personally find this a lovely trait.  I think that it is a real shame that so many people in my own huge, culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse homeland seem to feel threatened by non-English speakers to the extent that some states are attempting to pass English-only laws.  Teaching foreign languages has always been an uphill battle in the United States - for many reasons - which I will not even begin to discuss here.  Again, that is a real shame.

When I was much younger, I had the impression that every single person in Switzerland spoke German, French and Italian.  In fact, that is not quite the situation.  Most Swiss do speak more than one language.  But they principally study French in French-speaking Switzerland and choose English as a second language.  In German-speaking Switzerland, English is also favored over French as an elective.  In Italian-speaking Switzerland, German or English are often selected instead of French.

There is some concern in French-speaking Switzerland that German is not selected by enough students and that this will ultimately limit their workplace opportunities.  Beginning in 2012, there will be a major push to interest students in the Geneva area to study German or even "Schwyzerdütsch" (Swiss German), which is not quite the same thing.   Swiss authorities will try to redress what they see as this lack of interest with a  three-pronged approach.

First, they will evaluate and improve, where improvement is needed, the abilities of the German-teaching personnel.  Speaking German - or any other language - does not necessarily mean that one is able to teach it.  They will also introduce a new method of teaching German, both at the primary and middle school levels, that will be based more on oral and written expression.  Finally, they will incorporate more hours of German into the primary school schedule, as well as reinforcing the hours already required at the middle school level.  While French will retain its absolute priority status in the Geneva area, more hours of English will also be incorporated into the schedule, with Italian as yet another elective.

Language, culture, traditions, practices, folksongs and mentalities are all interwoven.  The more we recognize this fact, as well as accept, understand, appreciate and interact with it, the more our own lives can be enriched.