The dialect diversity of German-speaking Switzerland: an exhibition in Stans
By Andy Zimmermann, voice over artist
From 27 May to 1 November 2020, the Salzmagazin of the Nidwalden Museum is hosting an exhibition on the dialects of Switzerland.
German-speaking Switzerland is home to an astonishing variety of dialects in a very small area — but why? Perhaps because the Confederation never had a king who could declare one ‘correct’ dialect the national language, or because the Swiss did not follow the trend towards linguistic ‘modernisation’ in the eighteenth century? The dialects of Switzerland probably also survived thanks to the country’s pronounced federalism and the idioms that came with each region. Here is to the dialects of German-speaking Switzerland.
As a voice over artist for communication material, I am often asked by clients to record the text in Swiss German. But THE Swiss German does not exist — instead there are countless dialects, all of which pass as Swiss German. More on this on my Swiss German page.
Link to the news item in the news programme of Swiss television.