ChatGPT understands Swiss German

Language Corner
1

ChatGPT can translate to/from Swiss German and explain Swiss German words.

2

Nur es bitzli

Also Perplexity:

Absolutely! I can help you with Swiss German (Schweizerdeutsch) translations.
Here’s how I can assist:
1. Translating Standard German to Swiss German: I can provide the Swiss German equivalent of a phrase or sentence in Standard German.
2. Translating Swiss German to Standard German or English: If you give me a Swiss German phrase, I can translate it into Standard German or English.
3. Explaining Swiss German Words or Dialects: I can explain specific Swiss German words or expressions and their usage.
Note:
Swiss German is a spoken dialect and not standardized in writing, so there are often multiple ways to write the same phrase. I’ll do my best to give you a commonly used version.
Just let me know what you’d like to translate!

3

Well, consider me impressed:

Die schweizerdeutsche Aussage:

„DĂ€ FĂŒddlibĂŒrger vom Parterre mit de gĂ€ggeligĂ€le Hose und em löchrige HĂ€md gaat allne uf de GĂ€ischt mit sim ewige Gchlön ĂŒber d’ Graaniebletter vo de Frau obedraa“

lĂ€sst sich ins Englische ungefĂ€hr so ĂŒbersetzen:

“That petty bourgeois from the ground floor with the ridiculous yellow pants and the holey shirt gets on everyone’s nerves with his constant complaining about the neighbor lady’s geranium leaves upstairs.”

Hier ist eine genauere AufschlĂŒsselung:

  • DĂ€ FĂŒddlibĂŒrger – wörtlich „the petty bourgeois“; im Kontext: ein spiessiger, nerviger Typ
  • vom Parterre – „from the ground floor“
  • mit de gĂ€ggeligĂ€le Hose – „with the ridiculous yellow pants“ (gĂ€ggelig = auffĂ€llig, peinlich; gĂ€le = gelbe)
  • und em löchrige HĂ€md – „and the holey shirt“
  • gaat allne uf de GĂ€ischt – „gets on everyone’s nerves“ (wörtlich: geht allen auf den Geist)
  • mit sim ewige Gchlön – „with his endless whining“ (Gchlön = Jammern, Nörgeln)
  • ĂŒber d’ Graaniebletter vo de Frau obedraa – „about the geranium leaves from the woman upstairs“

Wenn du magst, kann ich auch eine etwas stilisiertere oder humorvollere Übersetzung draus machen. (If you like, I (chatGPT) can also a more stylised and humorous translation out of it).
But that’s an empty promise as there is not button or something to tell it to do so. I wanted to as I figured that’s where the mucking-up of it would happen :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Still, chatGPT seems to be the expat’s solution. If it was able to translate that it should have no problem translating normal daily stuff.

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4

Perplexity

Original:
“That petty bourgeois from the ground floor with the ridiculous yellow pants and the holey shirt gets on everyone’s nerves with his constant complaining about the neighbor lady’s geranium leaves upstairs.”
Swiss German:
„DĂ€ chliibĂŒrgerlich Typ vom Parterre mit dene luschtige gĂ€le Hose und em lochige Hemd nervet eifach alli mit sim ewige Gjammer ĂŒber d’GeranienblĂ€tter vo dr Nachbersfrau oben.“
Note:
If you’d like it in a different Swiss German dialect (e.g., ZĂŒrich, Basel, or Wallis), let me know!

5

Wallis, Wallis, Wallis! :smiley:

6

Certainly! Here is the translation of your sentence into the Wallis (Valais) dialect of Swiss German:
Original:
“That petty bourgeois from the ground floor with the ridiculous yellow pants and the holey shirt gets on everyone’s nerves with his constant complaining about the neighbor lady’s geranium leaves upstairs.”
Wallis Dialect:
„DĂ€ chliibĂŒrger vom Parterri mit dĂ€ luschtige gĂ€le Hose und em lochige Hemd gaht allne uf d’Nerv mit sim stĂ€ndige Gschimpf ĂŒber d’GeranienblĂ€tter vo dr Nachbarfru obe.“
If you want, I can also provide a phonetic guide or adjust it further!

Absolutely! Here’s your Wallis dialect sentence with a phonetic guide (using standard IPA and a simplified, readable version in parentheses):

Wallis Dialect:
DĂ€ chliibĂŒrger vom Parterri mit dĂ€ luschtige gĂ€le Hose und em lochige Hemd gaht allne uf d’Nerv mit sim stĂ€ndige Gschimpf ĂŒber d’GeranienblĂ€tter vo dr Nachbarfru obe.

Phonetic Guide (IPA)

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet):
/ˈdÊː ˈxliːˌbyÉŸÉĄÉ›ÉŸ fɔm pɑɟˈtɛri mÉȘt ˈdÊː ˈlʊʃtÉȘɡə ˈɡɛːlə ˈhɔzə ʊnt əm ˈlɔxÉȘɡə hɛmd ɡɑːt ˈɑlnə uf dəˈnɛɟf mÉȘt zÉȘm ˈʃtĂŠndÉȘɡə ËˆÉĄÊƒÉȘmpf ˈyːbəɟ də ÉĄÉ™ËˆÉŸÉ‘ËniənˌblĂŠtəɟ fo dÉŸÉ™ ˈnɑxbÉ‘ÉŸËŒfÉŸu ˈɔbə/

Simplified Readable Phonetics

Readable (for English speakers):
Dah CHLEE-bur-ger fom par-TERR-ee mit dah LOOSH-ti-guh GAY-luh HO-zuh oont um LOKH-ih-guh HEMD gaht AHL-nuh oof duh-NERF mit zim SHTEN-di-guh GSCHIMPF UE-ber duh ge-RAH-nee-en-blah-tuh for duh NAHKH-bar-froo O-buh

If you want a more detailed breakdown or have a specific question about a word, just ask!

Sources

7

I just don’t recognise Friday Threads anymore


8

ohhhh this is too good. I am memorizing it to tell it to my hubby -who likes the Tschugger series, even if he is from Aargau —, and who hates the neighbour, for some strange reason.
The same Neighbour that when he sees me, runs for his life :smiley:
also for some strange reason :smiley: :smiley:

9

Perhaps he is allergic to bees?

10

Kinda, but I can still bring it to it’s knees with a couple of well placed phrases
 it’s really no better than what we were doing 40 years ago beyond having better processing power.

11

It can even attempt speaking Etruscan =)

12

Even if not perfect, it is much faster than trying to look up Swiss German words with a lot of guesswork in some obscure hobbyist published online dictionary.
Perhaps for a fluent German speaker with rich vocabulary that’s easy but for me German is already a 3rd foreign language that I don’t use on daily basis so it is of little help if a Swiss German word is similar to an ancient out-of-use German one.

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