Language is one of the most frustrating things about Switzerland.
After 5 months of daily German language study, I can get by reasonably well in German, aka Hochdeutsh. But Swiss German? I understand barely a word. And when 8 people are speaking it at once? Forget it. Here in Zürich, Hochdeutsch is the language of schools, universities, newspapers, and official business. But Swiss German is the language of the street – it’s what a neighbor will use to say hello or ask you to trim your side of the hedge, it’s what the conductor uses to announce a tram has been rerouted, it’s the language of family dinner times, etc…and every hill and valley has a different dialect. So Swiss Germans use it to sort the locals from the foreigners – foreigners being those who grew up, oh, say, 10 km away. Oh, and did I mention it’s not a written language? And it’s so variable that my husband Micha can barely understand someone from Wallis or Valais, a Swiss German and French speaking cantoN to the southwest. So how am I supposed to understand? Seriously. And me, an American from New York? I might as well be from another planet. I often feel like I am.
Anyway, I speak French or German or English at twice-weekly family dinners, but no Schweizer Deutsch (or is it “Schwyyzer Düutsch”?).
Last night we celebrated my sister-in-law’s birthday with a fabby shindig at her house. Good food, good friends, happy family – sounds like the perfect evening, right? It was! Except that everyone was speaking Swiss German. And speaking about things I want to discuss with Swiss people, like new social policies, how Zurich differs from the rest of the state, economics. But I speak (or am learning) Hochdeutsch. Everyone was chatting quickly and happily, filling and refilling glasses of wine, cutting each other off, finishing sentences, referring to old stories, news of their childhoods, etc…It was wonderful, the way conversations among friends are supposed to be. Except I basically couldn’t participate, which made me pretty damn sad. My lovely mother-in-law, Bea, sat down next to me and translated bits and pieces in Hochdeutsch, so I had some kind of clue. I don’t think she has any idea how much I appreciated the gesture. Sending big hugs her way!
Fun party, but frustration and isolation to boot.
So, rather than learn one language – isn’t that hard enough? – I must learn two. I will, it’s just a matter of time, right?
