'Schwyzertueuetsch' (was Re: Folk etymology) (Was Re: Swiss enchiladas)

[Pafra & Scott Catledge]

A possibly more definitive solution as to whether Schwyzertueuetsch is a
language or just the overall title for a group of very high German dialects
might be to ascertain what the four official languages are of the Swiss
Confederation: French, Italian, Roumasch (in its various spellings (which
one is official?), and ?  Scott Catledge
----- Original Message -----
From: Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 1999 2:02 PM
Subject: Re: Folk etymology (Was Re: Swiss enchiladas)


I don't know who "they" are, but a former student of mine from die Schweiz
told me the term 'Schwyzertueuetsch' is commonly used (and note his
spelling, with 'y' and a doubled umlauted vowel, presumably to signal
lengthening ['ue'  substitutes for my lack of the umlaut diacritic--how do
you get that, Greg?]).  Trudgill, in his _Sociolinguistics_ (1995 ed., p.
101) uses this spelling also, but he does note that his example is "based
on Zurich speech."  My student taperecorded T's example for me, with
wonderful intonation and very prominent vowel lengthening; I play it every
year for my Sociolx class.

>Actually, to be more accurate, since you seem to be interested, they tell
me
>there is not even such a thing as Schwizertütsch. There are only local
>dialects each of which is a bit different, e.g., Züritütsch (Zürich
>Deutsch). So they say....
>
>Greg Downing/NYU, at greg.downing at nyu.edu or gd2 at is2.nyu.edu