The mysterious 4th language of Switzerland
@LeaPea2417 (36781)
Toccoa, Georgia
June 28, 2018 2:37pm CST
Switzerland has 4 national languages, German, Italian, French and the mysterious Romansh. Even though Romansh is a national language, it is only spoken by 0.5 percent of the Swiss people.
The Canton called Graubunden is where it originates. It is the largest Canton and it is very rare to hear it spoken in other areas of the country.
It has a culture to it and if it would die out as a language, it would be the death of traditions of Graubunden.
Luckily more people want to learn it and with the internet and lessons being offered, more have the opportunity to learn it these days.
I know our myLot friend @LadyDuck lives in Switzerland. What does she know about Romansh?
Despite Romansh being one of Switzerland’s four national languages, less than 0.5% percent of Swiss can speak it.
10 people like this
10 responses
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
29 Jun 18
Does everyone in Switzerland speak several languages? Dear friend.
2 people like this
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
29 Jun 18
@LeaPea2417 That's great, dear friend. Thank you for telling me.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36781)
• Toccoa, Georgia
29 Jun 18
Yes, I think a lot do speak more than one language there.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (463269)
• Switzerland
29 Jun 18
@caopaopao @LeaPea2417 YES, we are obliged to correctly speak at least 2 of the 3 official languages.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (463269)
• Switzerland
29 Jun 18
Romansh is still one of the "official languages", but it is not mandatory to add this language to official documents, that are all the time written in 3 languages (German, French and Italian). Romansh is spoken in Canton Grison, one of my neighbors was born there and he speaks Romansh and he taught the language to his two children. Romansh will not disappear. By the way Graubunden is the only tri-lingual speaking Canton, but Romansh is spoken in Graubunden and Grison Cantons.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (463269)
• Switzerland
30 Jun 18
@LeaPea2417 They are fighting here to protect the languages spoken by minorities. Italian is only spoken by less than 9% of the population, we are also fighting to keep Italian as "official language".
@LeaPea2417 (36781)
• Toccoa, Georgia
28 Jun 18
It is amazing how many languages there are in the world.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (161452)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Jun 18
That is good to hear. I wish the American Indian languages would be saved.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36781)
• Toccoa, Georgia
28 Jun 18
Yes, I do agree with you on that.
1 person likes this
@saritflor (3914)
• Hungary
28 Jun 18
I didn't know that, how interesting! is Romansh is some kind of Romanian?
1 person likes this
