A bit silly, didn’t watch it, but it’s not really valid to take a Germanic language and remove all the Germanic elements from it. If they had not been there then ‘English’ would have simply been a form of French with Latin and Gaelic spattered through.
Latin because British Celtic language had already incorporated a lot from the Romans before the Saxons and co. started coming over, and long before the Normans brought their French, such that a lot of English words that may be similar to French did not come from their, but much erlier, directly from the Latin.
At work: Mainly English, then French once a week or so, Spanish when needed, and since A couple months ago, ver basic German.
At home: Spanish spiked with FR, DE and plenty of anglicisms don’t ask me the name of the produce I buy in the farm in Spanish, we just go by names in Swiss languages.
3: mother tongue: Spanish. English and French, I work with them. German, A2? Simple discussions at work and surviving in German speaking CH. Italian, I can survive while traveling
I’m also German A2 at best maybe even A1 in writing. I know many German words but I have difficulties quickly finding the right words when in a conversation.
Is it common for expats to speak multiple languages at home or a mix of native and local language? For example English and Swiss German given that many kids from expat families were born in Switzerland and attended Kindergarten and schools only in Swiss German with English being EFL (1st foreign language)?
What’s your experience of it? Most people can only speak for themselves and their immediate circle of contacts. I would look at the people in your own sphere; family, friends, work colleagues, etc., and assume that is the norm.
From my experience, yes, most expats speak a mixture of whatever languages they are comfortable with along with varying degrees of the local lingo. As an exception, I used to work with a Swiss guy, married to a Swiss woman and they both spoke only English together and with their kids “so it would give them a headstart in school”. When the eldest child started school she had to go to German lessons with the other non-speakers.
That was just an example he gave. The actual question which is what I assumed you were answering was is it common for families to speak multiple languages at home and the answer to that is yes, even in Romandie.
don’t ask me the name of the produce I buy in the farm in Spanish, we just go by names in Swiss languages.