It's no brainer that one should learn High German first before learning Swiss German. Swiss German is a dialect after all and the best way to learn it is actually to talk to people and listen to it every day that you get used to it.
What is High German?
In German, it's called Standarddeutsch or Hochdeutsch. It's the version of German that is taught in schools, including schools in Switzerland. This is why most, if not all Swiss people, can understand High German.
What is Swiss German and how are they different?
In Swiss German, it's called Schwiizerdütsch. It is a dialect which is very difficult even for a German person to understand. Swiss German is very unique in their pronunciation, grammar and even vocabulary compared to High German. It is so different that it is sometimes seen as a language of its own. It is also important to note that different regions in Switzerland have different dialects. For example, someone who lives in Zürich may not understand the dialect of someone who lives in Valais, although they are both speaking Swiss German. Since Swiss German is a dialect, it does not have an official or right way of written form.
How do they write to each other?
Swiss people write to each other by spelling words as to how they speak it, which means it varies from person to person. Despite that, they will still be able to understand each other. However, when it comes to writing formal e-mail, announcements or newspapers, it would be communicated in High German.
Why one should learn High German before attempting Swiss German?
Swiss people understand and can speak High German
Formal written communication will still be in High German
News and media is also presented in High German
You can communicate with a wider range of people (Germans, Austrians)
Is it important for someone who is living in Switzerland to learn Swiss German?
I would say it is not necessary, but it does give a big advantage. If you want to learn Swiss German for fun, I would say don't bother because it's too difficult, especially if you don't have someone to speak to. However, if you're going to live in Switzerland permanently, you should at least try to learn it.
Here's why it's important:
to blend in better with the locals - If you move to a new country, you would have difficulty making friends, even more so in Switzerland. If you want to feel at home and be part of the local community, you should learn to speak like one.
increase your chances of getting a job - of course, you could also get hold of a good job in Switzerland if you can speak German but if a manager has a choice between hiring you and someone who has the same ability as you but can speak Swiss German, who do you think will be hired?
Swiss people would prefer to speak Swiss German over German - this would mean that a group of Swiss people would have to speak in German in order to accommodate you. You wouldn't want that, would you?
it's fun! By understanding Swiss German, you'll be exposed to Swiss culture and learn to appreciate their culture a lot better.
Is this the right time for me to learn Swiss German?
I am of the opinion that one needs to have a good grasp on the German language before learning Swiss German based on reasons mentioned earlier. But exactly when, if there's a line to draw, I can't tell. I would say, at the very least, B1 German level. At this point, I am not confident that I am capable of learning Swiss German yet because I still have a lot to improve on in terms of my German-speaking ability.
On the other hand, the thought of exposing myself to something new, something more relevant in some sense, gets me very excited. So I thought, why not. Why not learn some basic Swiss German such that I can at least hold a basic day to day conversation.
The thought of "...but this is not how Swiss people talks." whenever I learn something in German kind of keeps me hanging. I don't know how to explain how it feels like; but if I can describe it, it's that whenever I learn German, I don't fully feel like I have achieved something. It feels like German is a means to an end, and that end being Swiss German.
Kommentare