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Switzerland Languages: Difference between revisions

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|Name=Switzerland
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|Background=Languages
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==Description==
==Description==
==Word List(s)==
Switzerland has four official languages: ''(Many Swiss speak more than one language)''
==Alphabet and Pronunciation==
* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland#German German]''' - 65% of the population  ''(spoken in fifteen cantons)''
==Language Aids and Dictionaries==
* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland#French French]''' - 18%  ''(spoken officially in six cantons:  Fribourg, Vaud, Jura, Valais, Neuchâtel, and Geneva)''
==Additional Resources==
* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland#Italian Italian]''' - 10%  ''(spoken in Ticino and parts of Graubünden)''
== References  ==
* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland#Romansh Romansh]''' - 1%  ''(an old Latin dialect spoken mainly in the mountains of Graubünden)''
* Others - 6%


Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh.  The German speakers are 65% of the population while the French are 18%, Italian 10%, Romansh 1% and others 6%.  Many Swiss speak more than one language.  Romansh is an old Latin dialect spoken mainly in the mountains of Graubünden.  French is spoken officially in six cantons:  Fribourg, Vaud, Jura, Valais, Neuchâtel, and Geneva.  Italian is spoken in Ticino and parts of Graubünden.  German with a myriad of dialects is spoken in the other fifteen cantons: Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden (consists of half cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden), Glarus, Zug, Solothurn, Basel (consists of half cantons of Basel-Stadt and Baselland), Schaffhausen, Appenzell (consists of half cantons of Appenzell-Innerrhoden and Appenzell-Ausserrhoden), St. Gallen, Aargau, Thurgau, and in the rest of Graubünden.  Major foreign groups are southern and Eastern Europeans. Records are written in the major languages and Latin which was used extensively in early records.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Switzerland,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1984-1998.</ref>
Records are written in the major languages and Latin which was used extensively in early records.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Switzerland,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1984-1998. </ref> <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Switzerland," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland#Languages, accessed 8 Apr 2021.</ref> <ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Switzerland," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland, accessed 8 Apr 2021.</ref>
== Swiss Genealogical Word List  ==


This is a list of commonly used words found in German Swiss church records, family registers and church census records. This list includes words found in dialect spellings. For further German words, please use the German Word List:  
==Word List(s)==
*[[German Genealogical Word List]]
*[[French Genealogical Word List]]
*[[Italian Genealogical Word List]]
*[[Swiss-German Genealogical Word List]]
*[https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/german.php Useful Phrases in German] - Omniglot]
*[https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/french.php Useful Phrases in French] - Omniglot]
*[https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/italian.php Useful Phrases in Italian] - Omniglot]
*[https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/romansh.php Useful Phrases in Romansh] - Omniglot]


*[[German Word List]]
==Alphabet and Pronunciation==
* [https://omniglot.com/writing/german.htm German Language Alphabet and Pronunciation - Omniglot]
* [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/french.htm French Language Alphabet and Pronunciation - Omniglot]
* [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/italian.htm Italian Language Alphabet and Pronunciation - Omniglot]
* [https://omniglot.com/writing/romansh.htm Romansh Language Alphabet and Pronunciation - Omniglot]


For the French speaking parts of Switzerland, see the French word list:
==Language Aids and Dictionaries==
'''Language Aids'''
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_grammar German Grammar - Wikipedia]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_grammar French Grammar - Wikipedia]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_grammar Italian Grammar - Wikipedia]


*[[French Genealogical Word List|French Word List]]
'''Dictionaries'''
* Beattie, Susie. ''Collins German dictionary.'' Glasgow: HarperCollins Publisher, 2019. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/1063656719 WorldCat].
* Girard, Denis. ''Cassell's French-English, English-French dictionary.'' Wiley, New York: Macmillan, 2002. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/798320280 WorldCat].
* Rèbora, Piero, Francis M Guercio, and Arthur Lawrence Hayward. ''Cassell's Italian dictionary : Italian-English, English-Italian.'' New York: Wiley, 2002. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/50340082 WorldCat].
* Gross, Manfred and Daniel Telli. ''Romansh-English, English-Romansh : dictionary and phrasebook.'' New York: Hippocrene Books, 2007. '''''Available at:''''' [https://www.worldcat.org/title/1134661872 WorldCat].


For the Italian speaking parts of Switzerland see the Italian Word List:  
'''Online Dictionaries'''
* [https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-german English-German Dictionary - Collins]
* [https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-french English-French Dictionary - Collins]
* [https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-italian English-Italian Dictionary - Collins]
* [https://en.glosbe.com/en/rm English-Romansh Dictionary - Glosbe]


*[[Italian Genealogical Word List|Italian Genealogical Word List]]
==Additional Resources==
 
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland Languages of Switzerland - Wikipedia]
For a list of common Swiss words, see the Swiss-German Word List:
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language German language - Wikipedia]
 
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language French language - Wikipedia]
*[[Swiss-German Genealogical Word List|Swiss-German Genealogical Word List]]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_language Italian language - Wikipedia]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romansh_language Romansh language - Wikipedia]
* [https://www.thelocal.ch/20170302/18-interesting-facts-about-switzerlands-fourth-language-romansh/ 18 interesting facts about Switzerland’s fourth language: Romansh]
* [https://theculturetrip.com/europe/switzerland/articles/why-are-there-four-languages-spoken-in-switzerland/ Why Are There Four Languages Spoken in Switzerland?]


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 21:04, 20 March 2024


Switzerland Wiki Topics
Flag of Switzerland
Switzerland Beginning Research
Record Types
Switzerland Background
Switzerland Genealogical Word Lists
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

Description

Switzerland has four official languages: (Many Swiss speak more than one language)

  • German - 65% of the population (spoken in fifteen cantons)
  • French - 18% (spoken officially in six cantons: Fribourg, Vaud, Jura, Valais, Neuchâtel, and Geneva)
  • Italian - 10% (spoken in Ticino and parts of Graubünden)
  • Romansh - 1% (an old Latin dialect spoken mainly in the mountains of Graubünden)
  • Others - 6%

Records are written in the major languages and Latin which was used extensively in early records.[1] [2] [3]

Word List(s)

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Language Aids

Dictionaries

  • Beattie, Susie. Collins German dictionary. Glasgow: HarperCollins Publisher, 2019. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Girard, Denis. Cassell's French-English, English-French dictionary. Wiley, New York: Macmillan, 2002. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Rèbora, Piero, Francis M Guercio, and Arthur Lawrence Hayward. Cassell's Italian dictionary : Italian-English, English-Italian. New York: Wiley, 2002. Available at: WorldCat.
  • Gross, Manfred and Daniel Telli. Romansh-English, English-Romansh : dictionary and phrasebook. New York: Hippocrene Books, 2007. Available at: WorldCat.

Online Dictionaries

Additional Resources

References

  1. ↑ The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Switzerland,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1984-1998.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Switzerland," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland#Languages, accessed 8 Apr 2021.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Languages of Switzerland," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Switzerland, accessed 8 Apr 2021.
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