A NATION WITHOUT A LANGUAGE.
Despite Their Intense Patriotism, the Swiss Borrow Their “Mother-Tongue” from Three Other Countries—A Polyglot Parliament.
Despite Their Intense Patriotism, the Swiss Borrow Their “Mother-Tongue” from Three Other Countries—A Polyglot Parliament.
Despite Their Intense Patriotism, the Swiss Borrow Their “Mother-Tongue” from Three Other Countries—A Polyglot Parliament.
The Swiss constitute that curious anomaly, a nation without a language, and in this they are alone among all the peoples of the world. This is all the more remarkable when their intense patriotism is considered, and their really wonderful love of country.
The official languages are German, French, and Italian, these three being the recognized “mother-tongue” of the majority of the inhabitants.
About three-fourths of the people speak German, while the remainder divide four other languages among them—mainly French and Italian—the languages varying, as a rule, according to the proximity of the people to each country whose tongue they speak.
Public documents and notices are printed in both the French and German languages. In the Swiss National Parliament the members make their speeches either in French or German, for nearly all the members understand both these languages.
The orders of the President are translated by an official interpreter and furnished to the newspapers in both languages.