OK, a challenge you'll face coming to Switzerland is that the people speak in a dialect that is very different from standard German. This means that understanding the spoken language in everyday situations can be difficult. It's a similar situation to someone from southern England travelling to Newcastle or Glasgow. German speakers here understand standard German because they learn it in school and a lot of TV programmes come from Germany and almost everything here is written in standard German but some are reluctant to speak it, particularly in social situations. So you need to learn standard German in order to read and write and speak yourself but some knowledge of dialect is helpful in order to understand what's said. I think you should take a look at VoCHabular, which tackles this issue head on. You can download a book ( https://vochabular.ch/unsere-angebote/download-buch/ ) in English that teaches standard German and dialect side by side and has links to audio dialogues so that you can hear the language as well.
Yes, there's a difference. However, in my experience the vast majority of Swiss-German speakers are very willing to switch over to High German (at least to start with) for the sake of anyone who is friendly, polite and clearly making the effort to learn German (starting with High German).
I agree that - once you live here - it is important to learn to understand Swiss German. But OP, since you're a beginner, just concentrate on High German for now, and add comprehension of Swiss German in, later.
I could not agree more but have been groaned for that in previous language threads. Learning German in itself is a challenge. The differences in Dialect a great for C1 students but not at A1 when learning how to order a meal...
I'm sure you don't need to learn German to order a meal . But I agree that learning standard German is the priority because you need it to read, write and can use it when talking to people. But the people behind VoCHabular evidently thought there was also a need for beginner level dialect instruction and developed a course that teaches it in parallel to standard German. It's free of charge on the internet and if people aren't interested or don't feel ready for the dialect content then they can ignore it.
In my experience plenty of people use dialect in work and social contexts and it's necessary to pick up some fairly quickly in order to assimilate and function properly. You also can't follow a lot of stuff on the TV without understanding dialect.
You say you can't 'up sticks' but could you come for a couple of weeks, even better, a month- for a total immersion stay and course?
Sadly, full immersion these days takes a lot of determination and effort- due to TV channels from all over the world, mobile phones, internet, etc- but it is the quickest way to learn- at least to get started then go on from there.
Any normal German school will have you buy a kursbuch similar to this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menschen-A1...92119012&psc=1
There is usually the main book and the arbeitbuch/workbook. Going through something like this and Duolingo is a cost effective and easy way to get started learning German.
Thank you - very much aware of this as I did some research into this prior to deciding to try and learn German. I figured that learning SOME German, even if a bit rusty/dodgy and slightly off with the Swiss German. I also completely understand as I moved from the Midlands to Scotland and spent a few years there before moving to Devon. I then met a Scotsman down here! I will certainly look into it. Just maybe when I am little more advanced...
Thanks both. My plan is to just get the basics on board first. I am sure even if I learn German and went to Germany, I would still have a hint of my dreadful accent coming through and it won't be perfect. But hey, we all love a trier and admire those who are wiling to go the extra mile, right?!
I work in healthcare, that's a second language right there. I do completely understand what you are referring to and I completely respect that opinion. I will need to understand the German language before I can start to think about dialect and context beforehand I think. I will see how it goes, I may give up by the summer if it's not working for me! I am keen to give it my all, and luckily I have time on my side! So I have plenty of time to learn the German and then apply dialect/context/accents etc. I will do it as much justice as possible!
This is definitely a thing we could consider. My boyfriends job does make this harder as cannot be flexible with dates and a month wouldn't be allowed. Should the course land on dates that work for us, I would definitely do it!
I am more than happy to put that effort in, we both are, but there are certain things that stop that happening at this moment in time. It won't be that way forever, but currently we are more tied that we would like. So that was the thoughts about starting off here, just because we have time to be able to take it slowly and build up our skills at a given pace that works depending on what happens in other aspects of our lives. When given the opportunity to up the ante, we will do so with no concerns at all.
Thank you! I have looked at so many books. I never know which ones are useful, handy or even waste of money and effort. Knowing the "core" books is helpful, and I can make it work!
Books are just ... books. Without daily practice, and even better, full immersion- they will remain just that.
So far, we are practicing daily at home. I can't promise that will happen every single day, but for the moment it is a start.
Full immersion cannot happen just yet. It will, in time. All I can do is my best for now. I know my situation isn't perfect and I am withholding some details and being a bit vague, but I do wish to keep some details confidential.
Books may be "just" books, but they're a start. Plus, I love a good book, I find it far more helpful than reading from a screen whether it be TV/Laptop/Phone. I am pretty old school like that!
Just a couple more thoughts:
1. I guess it's harder for Brits to get employment in CH since Brexit;
2. I've seen job advertisements here for health sector jobs that specify the understanding of dialect.
If I were in your shoes I'd investigate both of these issues before doing anything else.
I have been researching both of these extensively for the past 7-10 days. I am on the case to see if I am entitled to an Irish passport. I believe I am, just need to clarify that my understanding is correct of the foreign births register. If I am able to get one, that will eliminate number 1. That has a processing time, currently of anywhere between 18-24 months. That gives me time to learn basic German, spend time in Switzerland and try to do some of the full immersion course(s) and likely get some networking in.
That’s the plan at the moment anyway!
Just curious. Why are you so keen on Switzerland? And why the “German part”, in my opinion French is way easier to learn and although there is “Swiss French” it is not anywhere near as different as “Swiss German”.
We just really like the German area of Switzerland. My partner enjoys the German language and it’s something we want to pursue. I can’t give you specifics, just a good feeling we get when there that makes it feel like the right thing to do.
Fair enough. Just be warned it’s very different living here to being here as a tourist (locals tend to be very happy to welcome you as a tourist, not so much to live and work here). I find the Swiss French much more accepting of foreigners and more forward thinking. I’d move there if it wasn’t for my husbands work.
This anti-immigration referendum was back in 2014, but the map clearly shows the different way of thinking between the 2 regions. Oberwallis shows red but only because of the French speaking part of the Canton. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014...ion_initiative
Its funny you say that as we just discussed the same at the EF drinks in Zurich yesterday... I am biased as a German native speaker, but a fellow forum member who first lived in the French part and now in the German one seems to have experienced the exact opposite of your feeling...
To be honest is the Swiss political situation a little more complex than being open or closed to immigrants. That referendum in particular shows why: It may be titled "against mass immigration" but that was more or less a decoy of the real intention - the SVP picked one particularly emotional and populist aspect that can derail the entire relationship with the EU. And managed to do so. The voting behaviour was far more "rural vs urban" than based on language. (basically a bit like Brexit...)
I guess people have different experiences and it depends on exactly where you are living and working. I'm aware that my post sounds negative, I just wanted to point out that it's very different living here to visiting.
I came to Switzerland thinking it would be all sweetness and roses, just like a ski holiday, but the Xenophobia in my area towards foreign residents/workers and the constant struggle with permits (thank god that's over now I have citizenship) and language difficulties wore me down (my fault for being shit with languages).
I would definitely suggest working/living in a more international part of Switzerland than in the rural/alpine areas.