Switzerland

Extensive List of Languages of Switzerland: Spoken Languages

:: List of Languages ::

Franco-Provençal
[frp] 7,000 in Switzerland (1998). Valais, Fribourg, and Vaud French cantons. Alternate names: Patois. Dialects: Savoyard, Neuchâtelois, Valaisan, Vaudois. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, Southeastern

French
[fra] 1,490,000 in Switzerland (2000 census). West. Alternate names: Français. Dialects: Franche-Comtois (Jurassien, Fribourgois). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French

German, Standard
[deu] Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German

German, Swiss
[gsw] 4,640,000 in Switzerland (2000 census). Population total all countries: 6,469,000. Central, south central, north central, northeast, and east cantons. Also in Austria, France, Germany, Liechtenstein. Alternate names: Alemanic, Alemannisch, Schwyzerdütsch. Dialects: Bern (Bärndütsch), Zurich, Lucerne, Basel, Obwald, Appenzell, St. Gallen, Graubuenden-Grisons (Valserisch), Wallis. Most Swiss varieties are High Alemannisch and Highest Alemannisch (several in central Switzerland). Not functionally intelligible to Standard German speakers. Each canton has separate variety, many mutually unintelligible. Only a few of 20 to 70 varieties are listed above as dialects. Most similar to Schwäbian [swg] in south central Germany. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Alemannic

Italian
[ita] 471,000 in Switzerland (2000 census). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian

Lombard
[lmo] 303,000 in Switzerland (1995). Central southeast, Mesolcina District, Ticino Canton, and Graubunden; 2 districts south of St. Moritz. Dialects: Ticinese (Ticino, Tessinian, Ticines, Ticinees). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Italian

Romani, Sinte
[rmo] 21,000 in Switzerland (Johnstone 1993). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern

Romansch
[roh] 35,100 (2000 census). Southeast borders, Grisons Canton, Surselva valley (Vorderrhein), Hinterrhein valley; Engadine, Val Mustair. Alternate names: Rhaeto-Romance, Rheto-Romance, Romanche, Romansh. Dialects: Vallader (Lower Engadine), Puter (Upper Engadine), Sursilvan (Surselva, Vorderrhein), Sutsilvan (Hinterrhein), Surmiran (Albula). Friulian [fur], Ladin [lld], and Romansch [roh] are separate languages (1978 R. Hall, Jr.). Lexical similarity: 78% with Italian and French, 76% with Catalan [cat], 74% with Spanish, Sardinian [sdc], and Portuguese, 72% with Romanian [rom]. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Rhaetian

Swiss-French Sign Language
[ssr] 1,000 (Van Cleve 1986). Alternate names: Langage Gestuelle. Dialects: Regional lexical variations in French area tied to specific schools. Local Swiss signs, imported French signs. Classification: Deaf sign language

Swiss-German Sign Language
[sgg] 6,000 (Van Cleve 1986). Alternate names: Natürliche Gebärde. Classification: Deaf sign language

Swiss-Italian Sign Language
[slf] 200 (Van Cleve 1986). Classification: Deaf sign language

Walser
[wae] 10,000 in Switzerland (2004). Population total all countries: 22,780. Ethnic population: 21,900 (1980 C. Buchli). Canton Ticino, Bosco-Gurin; Wallis, Simplon; Graubünden, Obersaxen, Valsertal (Vals, St. Martin), Safiental (Valendas, Versam, Tenna, Safien), Rheinwald (Medels, Nufenen, Splügen, Sufers, Hinterrhein, Avers), Schanfigg (Arosa, Langwies), Albula (Mutten, Schmitten, Wiesen), Landquart (Davos, Klosters, Furna, Says, St. Antönien, Valzeina). 26 communities in Switzerland, and 7 former ones. Also in Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein. Alternate names: Walscher. Dialects: Similar to but different from Schwyzerdütsch [gsw] spoken in Wallis Canton in Switzerland. Different from Cimbrian [cim], Mocheno [mhn], or Bavarian [bar]. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Upper German, Alemannic

:: Reference ::

Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com/