"I read somewhere..."

[stek]

I've done a few projects in Switzerland and I remember one where the contact guy was from Serbia and spoke good German and English. In the meeting were German Swiss and the other guys were from Ticino (Tessiner Swiss who speak a version of Italian) so the meeting had to be held in English as none of the Swiss could understand each other. When the Serb guy and me wanted to discuss something important without the others knowing what we were talking about, then Hoch Deutsch was used as none of them could understand that!

We were in CH last week and the Mrs (fluent in German) says to her the Swiss speak like they're trying to eradicate all vowels...

[scooterscot]

I'd be doomed if reciprocal action took place here. Or i'd learn quick sharp.

[stek]

I'd be doomed if receperacape action took place here. Or i'd learn quick sharp.

Receperacape lol!

[scooterscot]

Receperacape lol!

The coffee has not yet filtered through. I'll struggle with one language until it does...

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

It always amazes me when people go to Arab countries then moan, usually from their Midnight Express style cell, when they do things allowed in the UK but not allowed locally.

[NotAllThere]

Hmmm, people in Sheffield that nobody can understand... Are we sure they aren't just from Barnsley?

We were in CH last week and the Mrs (fluent in German) says to her the Swiss speak like they're trying to eradicate all vowels...

Swiss German isn't a language. It's a throat disease.

[scooterscot]

Swiss German isn't a language. It's a throat disease.

Going to Zurich next week. Wonder how my bayerische deutsch will cope.

[VectraMan]

Swiss German isn't a language. It's a throat disease.

When I was doing German lessons the teacher (who was Hungarian) said she thought she was fluent until the day she went to Switzerland and couldn't understand a word.

What I remember most about going to the Zurich area was hearing "Merci-schön".

[vetran]

This makes me sad. Although most of us have evolved beyond thinking we're defined by our national identity, it's still hard not to feel a little embarrassed to be British when you read that sort of thing.

he is just being a tosser NLYUK charged him extra for the 'Golden colonic' ignore him.

[Bee]

I had a colleague who had Punjabi as his native language and he said he had relatives that spoke Hindi, but even though he spoke some Hindi they'd end up talking to each other in English as that was easier.

We're so lucky that English became the international language.

You can say thanks to our North American friends.