“How we speak” – this is the title under which the current lecture series of the Collegium Generale at the University of Bern examines various aspects of speaking and language, starting with the Swiss dialects. As always, the lectures are open to everyone and can be listened to online.
Anyone who lives in Switzerland knows: the post bus goes to the last mountain village. Anyone who comes from Germany or Austria is surprised: they see a modern bus and not one Postbus. And depending on the region, users say it affectionately Poschi to their means of transport. – How diverse the spoken language can be is particularly clear in Switzerland with its many distinctive dialects.
The introductory lecture entitled “How and why Swiss German is changing” was given by the Bernese Germanist and sociolinguist Adrian Leemann. He leads the project Dialectatlascreated in the succession of the Language Atlas of German-speaking Switzerland (SDS)an epoch-making pioneering work in Swiss dialect research, was created between 1939 and 1958. The basis for this, then as now, was oral surveys in over 600 places.
From the dialect atlas: Overall picture of the dialects and dialect regions
For the new project Dialectatlas There were significantly fewer financial resources available and less time: four to five years had to be enough for the surveys that were carried out using cell phones. An equal number of women and men were interviewed, half from the older (60+) and half from the younger generation. The respondents – they were stationary people – were always presented with the same terms in pictures. There were equal parts questions about vocabulary, grammar and phonetics. This resulted in an extensive database. This metadata is available for further research.
An example from the dialect atlas: There are many words for “swinging”.
“The more we talk to each other, the more the language becomes the same,” explains Professor Leemann. In conversations we involuntarily adapt – a social psychological phenomenon – because this promotes mutual understanding. We also try to adapt our language when we strive for recognition. This can also be justified psychologically: similarity, ie similar language, is attractive. Sometimes we come across a person who wants to distance himself, whether consciously or unconsciously: he may signal this through his special way of speaking. Fundamentally, however, we strive to be understood. Anyone who lives in one place for a longer period of time adapts.
First name – first name (to superiors) respondents from the older generation
How exactly a “new” word spreads is not yet fully understood scientifically. Adrian Leemann suspects that new terms first become established in cities because, despite the distances, there are strong cultural connections between urban centers before new terms spread to rural areas.
Certain terms seem to be inseparably linked to a landscape: you can recognize a Bernese on a hike because he or she says “Grüessech” when you meet them, while “Grüezi” has spread far beyond the Zurich language area. The situation is similar with Honignow widespread throughout German-speaking Switzerland, but the people of Bern persist Hung fest.
First name – first name (to superiors) respondents from the younger generation
Some terms have spread from standard German, including: Honig about too puddle. There are also “stable” terms, explains Leemann, sticks belongs to it, Horse and butterfly. The language and therefore also the dialects are a reflection of our media consumption. Compared to the research of Language Atlas of German-speaking Switzerland The language has been influenced by radio and television in the decades since the Second World War and even more so by digital media for a good thirty years. Migration within Switzerland and from abroad has of course also had an impact on everyday language.
Onion. Younger generation respondents
Strange that in some cases there is also a typical Helvetism like Verge for Rote Beth enforced. The market information was probably crucial here. The name for a vegetable like beetroot should be the same throughout German-speaking Switzerland. A curiosity that has spread from Switzerland to other countries should be mentioned here: this Birchermuesli. – Even if it is there too Muesli has become.
The extent to which the language changes will always depend on the personal attitude, the openness and curiosity of the speakers, and also on their local roots. It seems that the gender of the speaker or a high or low level of education has little influence on language change. Peaceful characters seem more willing to adopt words that are “in the air.” – If you take the post bus to a remote mountain village, you may still find old language forms there – unless you are going to a popular holiday resort.
Lecture series spring 2026: How we speak
We speak Bärndütsch or use youth slang. Some gender, others don’t. We express ourselves cautiously or emphasize our words with a grand gesture. And how we say it says something about us. But what?
The Collegium Generale’s lecture series in the spring semester explores today’s language usage. How do we talk? What current trends shape dialect and standard language? How does AI affect our language? And how is politics made with language? The lectures present current research on speech and language.
The lecture series lasts until May 27, 2026, Wednesdays 6:15 p.m. University of Bern, main building.
Download as a video after the lecture (with exceptions).
Dialect Atlas. It is fully available as a download.
Cover photo: pixabay.com
All other illustrations are taken from the dialect atlas: Adrian Leemann, Corina Steiner, Melanie Studerus et alii: Dialect atlas. 1950 to today. vdf university publishing house.
