german levels in this forum.

[zombie]

once again, i'm curious about my forum folks! the question is how good are our daily communication skills with the locals . i'm wondering how many expats can express themselves in schwiitzertüütsch. after 11/2 decades my german is just good, i attended dialect lessons at the migros clubschule, still i cannot tell jokes "efficiently"!

[jamaicanRUM]

Why such depressing topic mate? I can just about manage...ok not really!

I bloody hate it when I phone a large company (HP, NEC etc) the switchboard give me the choice of speaking in English, German, French or Italian. I choose English and then when the person finally picks they starts speaking German! WTF! Why the hell do they give me the English option? END OF RANT!

Edit- Digitec.ch is such a pain!!!!! They keep you on hold forever!!!!!!!

[MaKita]

	Quote:	jamaicanRUM
	Why such depressing topic mate? I can just about manage...ok not really! I bloody hate it when I phone a large company (HP, NEC etc) the switchboard give me the choice of speaking in English, German, French or Italian. I choose English and then when the person finally picks they starts speaking German! WTF! Why the hell do they give me the English option? END OF RANT! Edit- Digitec.ch is such a pain!!!!! They keep you on hold forever!!!!!!!

mmm now i see is also in other services!! i had one experience before with spartacus, on the page on internet they put the opcion on english, but that dont work...the product order in in german, and when the people from there write you is also in german

[Andres]

MY german's fluent !

[hugh_abu]

My category does not exist.

I have fluent German, can tell jokes with schwiitertüütsch insert.

Not funny ones though, cos jokes in German are not funny.

Exceptions are Loriot, or Otto (when he first appeared, not in the last 10 years)... but their humour is based on inserting English into their jokes.

Mittermeier is hilarious, I'll accept that. The reason he is funny is cos he is the only one that has understood that the only true humour is making fun of other people, preferably those less fortunate that oneself. ie. women, the swiss, etc...

Bye... before I get lynched.

P.s. I am not funny, I just appreciate people that are.

[gbn]

	Quote:	Andres
	MY german's fluent !

Which one?

[litespeed]

	Quote:	hugh_abu
	Not funny ones though, cos jokes in German are not funny.

ROFLMAO

[katie]

Heya

What about an option for those of us with german that is not quite "office fluencey" but better than just ordering a meal ??

Anyways thats where I fit in

Enjoy
kt

[sheewie]

Me too somewhere at Katie's level... can do better than just order a meal... I can even complain about it if necessary!

I could do office communication - but don't know about writing a formal letter - can barely write correct English for that matter

	Quote:	katie
	Heya What about an option for those of us with german that is not quite "office fluencey" but better than just ordering a meal ?? Anyways thats where I fit in Enjoy kt

[Lob]

I have German to a blagging-security-where-I-work-to-give-me-a-parking-place level

[Crumbs]

0% for fluent Swiss German? Have the Swiss on the forum not voted, because they can't tell good jokes?

[ossian]

I really enjoy trying to speak German, but there are some situatuions that are beyond my ability.

In particular, SprachBox services auf Deutsch. <Rant> Anyway, I signed up for a Yallo pay-as-you-go, and they promised an English saved message service. The bad news is they don't have one. But, their rates for calling other countries aren't too bad. </Rant>

[Rico]

I live in Kanton Wallis. Anyone who has been here knows what I mean...the 'Swiss German' spoken here is, well, special. I began to learn High German before I came over, found myself utterly lost when I arrived, then slowly began to pick up some dialect. Now Wallisano smatters in with my somewhat limitted High German. So, here, I'm getting by and improving (I don't need my wife to hold my hand everywhere I go anymore).

The problem is, I am only partially intelligible anywhere else (don't know enough of either 'dialect' to flip the switch). When I was working in Germany for 6 months, it was quite an effort to be understood. Even in Zurich, people would switch and speak French to me (I'm an anglophone) from time to time. One lovely lady (originally Vaudoise if I recall who'd been in Zurich some 15 years) even said she would rather speak French to an anglophone than have to converse with 'the mountain people'.

My plan now that I have more time is to take more High German courses. My thinking is, at least then I'll have a one way switch to High German for people NOT from the Oberwallis and the dialect will sort itself out through immersion. If anyone thinks this is an inherently flawed plan...please let me know (I tend to run into trouble when I think or make plans ).

[raindeer]

	Quote:	Rico
	I live in Kanton Wallis. Anyone who has been here knows what I mean...the 'Swiss German' spoken here is, well, special.

Oh, I can really relate to that. Having grown up in Zurich, I guess I have a typical "Zürischnure", as the locals here call it - and I can barely understand someone from Wallis.
From what I've heard, it's extremely difficult to switch from High German to Swiss German, though I'd still recommend learning it. It's much more useful - everything is written in High German, everyone understands you, everyone can speak High German if you don't understand them - and also, it's not bound to one specific area (as Swiss German is). Also, I guess it's easier to learn....

[mbuck66]

I too have the Swiss/High problem. I have been in CH for around 6 years. My wife (Swiss) and I speak English mostly, bviously with my kids I speak only English; because I know more ways to say no, put that down, don't do that etc.
My German is mainly learnt by speaking with family and friends so is a kind of mixed Swiss/High, I understand Swiss German better though and the grammer is definitely easier (just slur the end of the words).
I am now taking a high German course with the Goethe institute, but often get marked down for Swiss words.

In the survey therefore my level is not there. Probably something like, Good Swiss and High German enough for the office. No jokes though, my kids jokes seem to be direct translations anyway. Irony in Switzerland is not dead.

[SWilkinson]

I wish my German was better Just don't seem to have the time to do the language courses provided by the company!!

He He it's a good selling point on there part.... Yes come over and we'll give you wads of cash for courses, then keep you so busy you can't take them.

[miniMia]

I don't speak ANY German. But I can certainly speak with the locals!

[DaveA]

Is that im Lokal ?
dave

	Quote:	miniMia
	I don't speak ANY German. But I can certainly speak with the locals!