That's how Oxford dictionary defines it and a JD should not be Open to Interpretation. It should be precise, the Natives are know for exactly that aren't they ?

That’s a good point. In Switzerland many have at least one language as a second language, that they have learned either as a choice or mandatorily at school. So it‘s not uncommon that Swiss put on their CV that they are bi-lingual or multi-lingual. For example, as mentioned, daughter has 2 „Muttersprachen“ which came from her parents since birth.

In addition, she‘s (in my eyes at least) quite fluent in French and pretty good in Spanish from years of mandatory or chosen advanced studies and exams at school. Swiss German is something „additional“.

But she would never say that one of those is her „Muttersprache“, or even apply for a job requiring this. It‘s true - it‘s common for Swiss people to have additional languages, but how do you weed-out what‘s really usable for the job?

Have you ever heard a Swiss German speaking French, after a lifetime of obligatory and plus chosen additional school years? It‘s often kinda special, like many Swiss Germans speaking English as well infact ...

Kinda like many Americans speaking German

It has nothing to do with skin colour...

Alas, for small companies this is certainly NOT the case!

Current problem for us is that I am one of the two remaining German speakers, the Italians are all at A0!

Tom

Assumption ? why ? is there a deficiency in the English or German language that lends itself for assumptions ? Although done in good faith it's a lie.

So? No idea what your native language is…. Not everyone cares about what the Oxford dictionary has to say about Muttersprachler.

And what is a JD???

And it normally sucks.

Most Swiss I know only speak one language at the mother-tongue level, though I have certainly known several who could do 4 or 5 (usually from Grischun)

Tom

Yes there is. Is your previous name here Omtatsat??

drum roll...............

Thankfully in a court of law (even non English ones) no one if going to come to you to decipher any text. Guess where they will go though.

You might want to decipher what you said? No clue what you want to say.

Where do you come up with this racist rubbish?

Tom

Just noticed that you‘re from Chigwell (guess that‘s the UK) - which Swiss position are you looking at?

Sometimes it helps to just put in your covering letter for a position in Switzerland, for which you are qualified for a position in Switzerland with work permits etc. that although German is not your mother tongue, you are completely and utterly fluent in German and have absolutely no problem with Swiss German either? Forgot to mention, that you also need to apply for a position that no Swiss person is available to fill (if you‘re not Swiss)...

English not your mother-tongue? I guess the company advertising the job wants to avoid such things like the mis-understandings that are present on this forum every day.

I can think of plenty of mother tongue English couples who constantly misunderstand what the other one said

It has a particular reputation but I wouldn't want to be racist

Would be glad to get a translation 😀

No, not a native speaker in that language (as most know). No one if going to come does not sound like the Queens English?

I do understand though what was asked for in the advert 😀

Have to admit that I understood your post, but not Marogs. But I‘m from nature naive, and always critised for speaking (almost) queens English. My Mom was from Liverpool, so she opted to take elocution lessons. Took me years to tone it down in Bromley.

The ad was in German and it said "Muttersprachler".

The key bit missing in this discussion: for what job was the ad?

English is not my first language, so I simply accept that I will never be a Radio Host on the bbc... and I think it’s ok if the SRF does the same. If they were hiring a chef or a cleaner is it more debatable...

This.