From a purely linguistic point of view, it's always possible to make a common norm. Taking each part of the phonologic, morphologic and syntax system and choose the most common phenomenon in a given set of data has been done before and suceeded perfectly as far as linguistics is concerned. But the acceptance of the new norm will depend on how ready the speakers are to compromise with their own dialect. We see that happening LIVE with Romansh. It was the same in the past with High German, Rigsdansk for Danish... and I've read the normalization process in Estonia was even more complex.
It all comes down to one point: will there be enough people ready to change part of their linguistic identity in order to embrace the larger unit of identification. Norway shows that this process can fail miserably ending up with two norms and a whole set of accepted alternative forms to calm everybody down without ending the linguage civil war.
In any case, a normalization process means more exchange between all the local communities in order to consolidate or even create bounds at a metalevel (Metaebene, niveau métaidentitaire) in order to give it a go with the new norm. Swiss German people accepted long time ago to do just that with High German, they still struggle with it but even if a movement was started to unify a language at Swiss level, part of the German speaking population would still relate to the common High German metalevel together with the neighbouring countries.
Starting such a movement is bound to splitt the population into two sides, doing exactly the opposit of what it would be claiming to do in terms of unification. A pro-Swiss German movement as an independent codified language would have to wait for the right time, when the existing identity-relation with High German would be so weak that they would have a chance to win with an alternative without splitting and dividing people into two irreconsiliable ennemies. That might take a while.
Faltrad, you make some lovely sensible points here. However, from what I understand of Swiss culture, the likelihood of any such language unification is highly unlikely because of the SG mindset/worldview.
As with any language, the cultural worldview influences language and linguistic development. In my experience SGs' worldview is underpinned by general opposition to change, and reluctance to embrace differences on anything but a superficial level. That includes making even small changes to cantonal dialects in order to create a uniform language that all SGs could share and call their own. Some canton or other would lose their identity and authenticity in the process.
For a peaceful life, I try to keep a safe distance from SGs, but I am married to a Swiss man, and I learn a lot about their culture. As an example, one of the favourite jokes my in-laws share as a family is that my MIL is from a different canton to the rest of the family and is an outsider. It doesn't matter that the canton is just next door to "their canton"! Although she shares the blood in their veins, she is an outsider with a funny accent, and when she speaks they take turns to ask her to repeat!
Being British, I initially feigned amusement at the punchline (anything else would be impolite). Now with a few years experience and better insight to the SG mindset behind such a joke, I do genuinely laugh at the joke (while encouraging my MIL to ignore it), but for a different reason than my in-laws. Meanwhile, my husband's siblings seem perturbed that he is becoming so different for not laughing as hysterically as his siblings at such a hilarious joke! For them it is an indication that he is forgetting his roots.
There is no real reason for the Swiss to create a unified Swiss German. They all understand Standard German perfectly well, and they can speak it. Yes they can.
On the other hand, they can get through every conversation between themselves without using Standard German, sometimes with some difficulty when, for instance, an Appenzeller has to talk with a Grindelwalder, but all in all communication works pretty well without any kind of forced standardization.
Standard German fills all the gaps that could be left by shortcomings of Swiss German such as accurate wording in laws, contracts and the like. The only problem is the fact that, to speak Standard German, people have to overcome their inhibitions, which in most cases are caused by a fear of saying something wrong and making an @ss of themselves in front of those who know or might know better, Germans, for instance.
Since that kind of inhibition is shared by many, it leads to a general reluctance to speaking Standard German. And that's what bothers the OP, which I perfectly understand, especially in circumstances like that party.
I'm afraid it would be even much more difficult to establish a standardized Swiss German than making those lazy people speak Standard German. There simply is no demand for Federal Tell Speak.
Rumantsch Grischun, the standardized Romansh language alluded to by Faltrad, introduced since the 'eighties, is a different case altogether. There the "market" of the various dialects was way too small for newspapers, radio shows, translation of laws etc., and there was no common language at all, so creating that artificial language made some sense.
I agree through and through with st2lemans...and would like to add something that has proven successful when I wanted to learn german; ride the tram, sit next to chatty locals, listen, listen, and listen, do this on a regular basis and you will quickly absorb the words you hear repeatedly, and you will start being more confident as you notice from what you hear the way the language is spoken, now with swiss german it will take some time to get there, but its the only to do it, boring at first but fun once you start to practice it with perhaps your local colleagues or your local partner! nothing is impossible )
I am glad that you not only like my message but also understood it: That's exactly my point too... which I expressed with the following understatement :
The guy from the bank here told my husband that when having to discuss business with and other SG speakers in Wallis they speak English - it is apparently the easiest language for everyone to understand each other.
I have the same experience. Less than 5 minutes in any Regio seat and there is always somebody next to me talking away in Swiss German. At the beginning I explain that I only speak Hochdeutsch but that hasn't phased a single person yet! Great way to learn although I say 'wie bitte?' alot
I think my favorite experience was while running up to a tram at HB that was literally sitting there for over 2 minutes, but would not let any additional passengers on. The old lady next to me then spent the next 7 minutes explaining to me the stress of being a tram driver and the importance of being ready to go as soon as the light allowed them to do so. (Or at least that's what I think she said in schwiizertuutsch
We find the old ladies on the bus/tram like to chat to our youngest, although now that he's chatting away 19 to the dozen they don't have space to wedge a word in ...
Also, teenagers chat heaps - just sit in a seat backing onto (or across the aisle from) a four-seater full of teenage girls, and you'll hear heaps of chat!
Thank you for pointing out my nonappropriatenes. I was trying to be politically correct - knowing that some Swiss do not like the term "High German" because of a perceived idea that "High" infers "better" than Swiss German and thus use the term "standard German" instead.
Thanks to the posters who have added more thoughts regarding the development of regional dialects and examples of trying to standardise them. personally, I am quite happy with differences as I think it adds to the general richness of language.
It's not the Swiss, and it's not the idea of "High" being superior. Swiss German is High Alemannic, and all variants of Alemannic belong to the group of High German languages , hence Swiss German actually is High German,although only few people know that.
However, especially in German, where there is no such term as "Standard German," the word "Hochdeutsch" is mostly used for the standardized language, where, of course, it sort of implies a higher level than dialects. In Switzerland it is often called " Schriftdeutsch " (= written German).
Nobody in Switzerland or the other German speaking countries says "Standard German," or " Standarddeutsch ", at that, except a few stubborn pedants like me, and even those do it mostly in Englisch. In German, that term is almost unknown.
Caribeangeorge's remarks make me wonder if any native Swiss have had the reverse experience of livinginswiss. The situation I'm thinking of could happen in Switzerland, but it's more likely to take place in Germany or Austria. A Swiss person is at a party and everybody is speaking standard German---every one else are either native German speakers from outside Switzerland or others who learned standard German as a foreign language but don't know any dialects yet. As a native of one of the Deutschweiz cantons, the Swiss has no problem understanding any of the conversations. However, this person can't relax and unwind while speaking this language. He can't ask anybody to switch to his dialect of Swiss-German, because they don't know how to speak it, and also he's worried about people asking him "Well, if you know high German, what could be the problem?"
Then again, maybe this doesn't happen at all because it's unlikely that even Germans or Austrians won't speak any dialect at all at a party and a Swiss person can use standard German to fill in the gaps between his dialect and the others.
A Swiss German speaks High German in Germany, basta. But seriously, a dialect-only Swiss German in Germany is just unheard of. Mind you, a Lörracher and a Riehener may well speak dialect with each other, that's logical.
I'll speak to you frankly, don't shoot the messager thanks: Nobody would care about his/her feelings if Hochdeutsch is too difficult for him/her. Ask Kachelmann.
No problem whatsoever. I'm absolutely fluent in Standard German, understand the dialects and would never expect anybody to speak Standard German instead of their dialect just because I'm part of the conversation.
But that's not the same as the OT's problem, because I can understand everybody and everybody can understand me, although I am not stupid enough to believe that my fluent Standard German doesn't come with a Swissish accent. An accent never is a real obstacle.
The problem of the OT is being entirely unable to follow the conversation, and in such a situation it is inconsiderate not to use a language that can be understood by all, and in that specific case that's Standard German. This is my opinion, others may disagree.
I'll throw in a different aspect here. The neighbour who takes it upon himself to organise this get together twice a year, perhaps at his own expense, probably does it in the interest of helping relationships along and thus avoiding conflicts in the building. If it is anything like our 'party' here, it is a get together on a very easy-going basis and I certainly wouldn't expect our 'host' to do more than ensure that there is more or less enough to eat and drink. He's done his bit. He is not a 'host' in the normal sense of the word at all. The 'social' part is our responsibility as 'guests'. As long as folk make the effort of talking High German (or English) when talking to you, I think they are doing their bit too.
Maybe they feel you've been around here long enough to cope with an earful of Swiss German twice a year.