I think the comparisson with Germnay is interesting where outside Bayern hoch deutsch is the first language people speak. I understand the socio political reasons why dialect is spoken here and the use of it has become more pronounced over the time I have been here but it just sounds like broken German to me quick a harsh sound. I always enjoy when I am in German and suddenly it is a like a fog lifts and it easy to understand what people are saying. I can understand some Basel dialect but I find it extremely difficult to speak without sounding like a total fool. So quite often I have conversations where I speak high german and the person replies in dialect which is not a problem.

Regards

Martin[/quote]

This is not quite true...many regions in Germany besides Bayern have their own dialect (Saarland, Hessen and probably more up north) that is not quite like Hoch Deutsch, and presents many similar problems to those living in CH having to deal with CH-German when you´re trying to learn Hoch Deutsch.