How Switzerland Stays United with Four Languages
Chapter 1

The four tongues of the confederation

Chapter 2

The mechanics of a willensnation

Chapter 3

Bridges and barriers in daily life

Chapter 4

Romansh: saving the alpine treasure

Ch 4 · Romansh: saving the alpine treasure
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Romansh: saving the alpine treasure
BETA

lara Decode alpine clues to discover how Switzerland keeps its rare Romansh language alive.

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lara Swiss Yodeling

Four tongues in the valley, one song on the peaks, our fifth language speaks!

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The Roman Empire's mountain echo

lara Soldiers vulgar Latin blended with the native Raetic language in isolated valleys creating a unique tongue that survived behind mountain barriers

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Quiz

In which Swiss canton did the Romansh language develop and survive?

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Quiz

Romansh is a linguistic blend of vulgar Latin and which ancient native language?

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Survival shifts from a matter of geography to a matter of deliberate choice.

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Five dialects, one unified tongue

lara A unified written tongue helps Switzerland connect its scattered alpine Romansh communities

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Quiz

What is the name of the unified written Romansh language created in 1982?

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Quiz

Who was the linguist responsible for designing the unified Romansh written standard?

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Fun Fact

Romansh roots: Romansh is closely related to Ladin and Friulian, two minority languages spoken in the mountainous regions of northern Italy.

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Quiz

Why did Swiss voters rush to recognize Romansh as a national language in 1938?

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Quiz

In what year did Swiss voters overwhelmingly declare Romansh a national language?

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Glossary
romansh (noun)
A Romance language of the Rhaeto-Romance subfamily, spoken primarily in southeastern Switzerland. In 1938, Swiss citizens voted overwhelmingly to recognize this ancestral speech as a national tongue.

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Quiz

Which organization is officially tasked with promoting and preserving the Romansh language and culture?

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Quiz

What percentage of the Swiss population currently speaks Romansh as their primary language?

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Gossip

What is the best tool to save a dying language?

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