The four tongues of the confederation
The mechanics of a willensnation
Bridges and barriers in daily life
Romansh: saving the alpine treasure
lara Ticino and Swiss Italian
We dial our 'natel' when we want to call / (On our Swiss phones, yeah!) / With French and German words that join us all / (Across the Alps, oh-oh!)
lara Link words across regional borders to discover how Switzerland's four languages unite the nation.
lara The nation splits geographically among Romandy's 23 percent French, Ticino's 8 percent Italian, a 62 percent German majority, and 0.5 percent Romansh.
What is the primary language used for writing and formal news in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland?
Swiss coins: Swiss coins use the Latin name 'Confoederatio Helvetica' to avoid printing the country's name in four different languages.
What is the unique Swiss French word for the number seventy, which differs from France's 'soixante-dix'?
The use or promotion of multiple languages, either by an individual speaker or within a society. In 1938, Swiss voters made Romansh the country’s fourth national language alongside German, French, and Italian.
The Swiss Italian dialect, Ticinese, is most closely related to which regional Italian dialect group?
lara The Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica represents the ancient Helvetii tribe on Swiss coins, license plates, and internet domains to ensure neutrality.