This is a continuation from another thread, where spinelli said:

Since I didn't want to get off topic (the original thread was about kids) I thought I'd post a new one.

So my question is this - if you are a foreigner (for want of a better word) and speak at least some German what is your experience - do the Swiss respond to you in Swiss German or in High German. Which would you prefer them to address you in? Why? How do you interpret their actions towards you? Are they being helpful, complimentary or just plain rude or lazy? Let's hear your experiences and opinions.

Now I'll talk about my experiences.... Get ready for another essay

Personally I prefer it when people converse with me in High German, though I can understand a reasonable amount of Swiss German. I consider my own level of German to be reasonable, meaning that I can function in most levels of conversation with very little misunderstandings, teach courses and presentations in German etc. However if Swiss German is used I am no longer comfortable since there is a chance that I may misunderstand a direct question, and give an inappropriate response, or be forced to ask the speaker to repeat themselves.

I have no problem when two other Swiss talk Swiss German to each other since I can follow about 70% of what they are saying, which is usually enough for other peoples' conversations, however when I first got here they did it and I considered it rude (which, if you can't follow it at all it would be a bit rude). Side note: when I got here I already spoke German.

I don't think I speak German with a heavy accent (in fact when I go to Germany some people think I'm Swiss which I find very amusing) but I think it should be obvious to any Swiss that I am not a Swiss German speaker.

So it does puzzle me when I address someone in High German that they would respond to me in Swiss German. Isn't this a pretty big assumption on their part? Were they not supposed to have done all their schooling in High German? (even though this was supposed to happen, we know that it probably didn't). Usually if the conversation is going to be simple I just continue and hope that there isn't a misunderstanding, but other times I stop them and politely request that they speak High German with me. Almost always they apologise and switch the High German. On very rare occassions they just continue to speak Swiss German to me despite my request, in which case I assume that I must be dealing with a moron...

So how should it make me feel? Should I take it as a compliment concerning my German that they would choose to address me in Swiss German, or might I assume that they are just being arrogant, probably thinking "Well we are in Zurich, he should be forced to understand Züri-dootsch, I'm not going to make any effort". I have noticed with some Swiss that while they will address me in High German, they will never speak High German to someone who comes from what they usually consider "less desirable" countries (we all know what I'm talking about here - right?). Surely these foreigners, whose grasp of German is rudimentary at best, should be addresses in High German? Many of them are going to German classes and struggling to get to grips with a language (High German) that nobody actually uses with them while they try to interact with people in Switzerland.

Another angle on this. My girlfriend is Swiss, and speaks perfect Swiss German, but she has an English (sorry, Welsh) surname so often she will be having a conversation in Swiss German with someone, and if they have to ask for her name they then switch to High German - this drives her crazy. Why does she get the opposite treatment to a real foreigner?

Anyway - a lot of points raised there - hopefully an interesting discussion may follow :-)