German in Switzerland : A Sdcio-linguistic Approach

Abstract

German like English is a pluricentric language (Rash, 1993:23) Le., a language with several national varieties, each having its own established form. A living language is in constant flux of change, especially when it is spread in a large geographical area surrounded by other different language communities. In this study I will look at Swiss German in a national perspective so as to have a glimpse of the role of the German language in Switzerland. The role of German in Switzerland raises the question of its relationship with the other three national languages in Switzerland namely, French, Italian and Romansch. The main emphasis in this paper is therefore, to present a picture of the German language in Switzerland with its historical background, which has contributed much to the present position of Schwyzerdutsch (Swiss German) and the contemporary situation of the German language within the multilingual society and its institutional framework.