I understood that can be several meanings: a Cap (to wear on the head), a Chappel. But Im not sure.
The context is a street named like this.
Thanks!
Whats the meaning of Chäppeli in Swiss German?
For me, a Käppelli is a small chapel, which would make sense in regard to the context.
Same as olygirl. Small chapel. If you say where it is we can tell you where the chapel is or maybe was.
They can be as small as this
https://goo.gl/maps/FsoGBgyUwBumhjAp7
or as big as this
Chäpeli = small (usually knitted) hat. Diminutive of Chappe (Hochdeutsch = Mütze).
a small chapel (Hochdeutsch "Kapelle) = chapäuwe. The diminutive is chapäuweli. Bear in mind that this is Bärndütsch. It'll be different in other dialects.
In some dialects it's nearer to "chapälli", but note the double "l", meaning the stress in pronunciation is on the double "l".
Chäpeli, with one "l", doesn't stress the "l", and means hat.
What's the actual street name you saw?
Clear as mud.
chäppeliweg, hochdorf
Most likely refers to a Chapel. As there are no rules to spelling in Swiss German, anybody can spell anything anyway they like, which can lead to confusion such as this.
Spelling has never rules but is always customary and by agreement. Never the less local spelling in Swiss German, specially on maps is mostly consistent. The most differences are due to local variations.
And do not forget, there are even Grammar book and dictionaries.
https://als.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramm...er_Darstellung
Now, "little hat" as a street name would be rather odd. Not impossible, but very, unlikely. But as we know that it is in "Kanton Lozärn", Chäppeli is a very common local spelling of "little chapel". Furthermore at the beginning of the street in question is the actual chapel:
https://map.geo.admin.ch/?lang=de&to...osshair=marker
(No Google Street View, due to the nearby school)
While I'm sure you're correct in this instance, rather odd street names abound in Switzerland. Take Elftausendjungferngässli in Basel, for instance.
Yeah, that's what happens when the Brits first convert 11'000 virgins from paganism, then travel to Rom with them all and stop in Basel to pray.
When ist's odd, it goes back to Brits.
Give you a Himmelsleiterli in Zurich
Here some more:
Chäppeli is a very Swiss diminutive but an archaic one (at least to someone who didn‘t grow up in a deeply religious rural part of Switzerland). It refers not to Chappe (cap) as one would guess today, but to the Latin root capella (chapel) or German Kappel, a pretty common name for villages in German-speaking countries and even in the Netherlands. Some were founded as/around monasteries, e.g. Kappel am Albis. As for spelling: it depends. There is a written tradition in some dialects, particularly in Berne. Not the same thing as rules, and an obscure subject for most locals.