Walser German

Spoken in

• Indo-European Germanic West - Germanic high German upper German Alemannisch Höchstalemannisch Walliser German

-

Gsw ( Swiss German )

Gsw

Walliser German are the dialects of the German Swiss in the canton of Valais. They belong to the most Alemannic dialect group and are spoken by the approximately 80,000 top Welshmen. The language border with the French -speaking Lower Valais runs north of the Rhone river along the creek Raspille between the bilingual Siders (French Sierre) and Salquenen and south of the Rhone river in the area of ​​Pfynwalds. Walliser German has its own grammar and some own words. It is therefore for speakers of standard German language only partially understood, and even many speakers hochalemannischer dialects have problems understanding. This is due to the strong linguistic conservatism of Valais German. The language area is isolated by the west lies Romano- Germanic language border - in the north, east and south of the Bernese and Valais Alps serve as the language border. Thus, it has preserved the only German dialect nor the Deklinationsvielfalt of Old High German, especially the genitive still in colloquial language is alive. Likewise, no side syllable slowdown has occurred in the Valais German, the phenomenon which took place about the year 1000 in most German dialects and is considered characteristic of the German language.

• 2.1 Text Example 2.1.1 Walliser German
• 2.1.2 Translation into German font

• 5.1 Diffraction of nouns
• 5.2 Conjugation of verbs 5.2.1 times
• 5.2.2 verb classes

• 7.1 General
• 7.2 dictionaries
• 7.3 grammars

Structure

The Walliser dialects exhibit a strong regional breakdown. In earlier times, almost every village had its own dialect so that it where appropriate, the origin of a person could be detected. Due to the stronger mixing but now such differences disappear. Nowadays you can often be said, from which the person comes valley.

The Valais dialect is divided into two Hauptidiome Group West and East group. The Group East surrounds the eastern part of the upper Valais to Brig and chamois in the group West and the valleys where the part from Visp westward to Sierre / Sierre.

This subdivision is attributed to the different immigration routes of the Alemanni in the 9th century, ie the group West emigrated from the Saanen coming one on the Gemmipass and the solder ball and the group East from the Bernese Oberland ( Haslital ) over the Grimsel Pass to the Valais. This dialect border runs right through Switzerland. This can be shown with the adjective difficult good:

• Group West in the Upper Valais: schweer, Group East: schwäär ( over open [ æ: ] ).
• Bern Saanen country and Sensebezirk in Freiburg: schweer / diffic, Haslital, Brienz, Berne to the Bernese Seeland Emmental: schwäär

Walliser German and German Walser

From a purely linguistically there are no clear differences between the dialects in the German- Wallis and the settlements of the Walser, who emigrated in the 13th and 14th centuries from the Valais and in many places in the Alps established settlements. The differences are based more on extra-linguistic criteria, namely that the canton of Valais is a political unit, while the Walser settlements among themselves little contact.

The dialects of Walser settlements can also be assigned to the same groups east and west, in which one divides the dialects of German-speaking Valais, so that for example a dialect of Walser settlement from the group East may have more in common with a German Valais dialect from the same group as a Walser settlement dialect from the group West. It is important to note that the Valais dialects of the Western Group, the Walser dialects in Northeast Graubünden ( Klosters, Davos, etc.), the Valais dialects of the Eastern Group, the Walser dialects in Southwest Graubünden ( Safiental, Rheinwald, etc.) correspond to. The Walser dialects of Liechtenstein and Vorarlberg, close to the East Grisons group (ie the dialects of the West German Wallis ). The Walser dialects in Italy and Ticino, however, are parallel to the Wallis conditions; so according to the dialects of south and east of the Monte Rosa, the Western and the dialects in Pomatt Gurin and the eastern Valais dialects.

Differences between the whale (left) serdeutschen dialects there depending on what have worked for voice contacts in specific regions. In isolated regions, more primitive forms of language have better preserved than in open traffic areas. However, this does not allow a distinction between the dialects of German Wallis and Walser settlements, because both are spoken both in more isolated as well as in traffic more open regions. The most typical examples of isolated regions are the Walser settlements on the southern side of the Alps in Italian and frankoprovenzalischsprachiger environment (the dialects of the so-called Südwalser or ennetbirgischen Walser ), but also in the canton of Valais, there are very isolated valleys, such as the Loetschental, although the second since the half of the 20th century, the transport links improved a lot and the linguistic situation has changed in the sequence.

Most clearly from the other whale (left) serdeutschen dialects differ from those who are surrounded by other German dialects, so dialects in Walser settlements in parts of Grisons, in Liechtenstein or in Vorarlberg.

Examples

• " The beetle on the ceiling moves. ": " Dr Güegu a ne Welbi mottut ski. "
• " Shut up! ": " Häp zmüül züe! " Or " Schwig! "
• " Up in the mountains a Traghutte (worn on the back basket) (filled with ) pieces of wood to throw away! ": " AEN Tschiffretta Päglette di Tschugg Lette Ambri treellu. "
• The basic number words to ten worded as follows: ice two, DRII, four, füüf, sägsch, sibu, eight, niin, tough

Text example

Walliser German

• In the dialect of the solder valley in the Upper Valais:

On Moorgnd, nuch in Maannischiin ( who nuch dr Maann schiint ) geid dr puir to ds Maad (San meejn ). Zi Säggschän ( To säggschi ) awakens r Schini Froiw us hertm Schlaaf. Ski schtreeld layers, tretschud ds hair and geid imbriin inn fiischtrn ( fiischtrri ) Chäldr gan Aichn, Chees and Härdepfl (r ) reichn. Dernaa reisudsch ( grächudsch ) ds Früäschtuck (formerly ds Niächtrru ). Ski trüchnd latte and ässnd Aichnbrood dr zuä ( Brood and Aichn drzuä ). De faad d strictly work vam Heiwun ( d strictly Heiwärarbeit ) aan. Mu muäs zeerscht d Madä zettn, speetr zämmrächu (s), illeggn and zrzettn in dr Schiir mumm bid Gablun dr. Widr Aabnd Heicht dr Maan ä Riggchorb ( aes Rrääf, ä Rriggablun ) CHANGE d Aggslun and silk imbruif uf d Alpu (s). Since ish nuch Seng Uistag. D Murmdä pfiiffund, d Alpuroosn bliäjnd schoon, abr aes hed nuch Loiwischnee inn Gräbmi ( inn Gräbun, older: inn Chrachun ) ( transferred literally abr aes liggnd nuch Rräschtä va Lloiwinun inn Gräbun ); wan aes hed in Wintr vil and of gschniid and giguxud. Since obmäna iss jetz afloat ( hipsch )! Dr puir ish abr miädä choon and setzd layers aes Schutzlin ufn Vorschtuäl ( ufn Baich ) for z liiwän and aes Pfüffätlin z rreikn.

• In the dialect of appointment in the Upper Valais:

On Morget, we nu the Maanet schiint, geit the Püür uf d Matta fer ga z määje. Ds Heiw ish jetz ripfs. Agencies entrusted säggschi wakes är schiini Fröw, wa nu teif gschlaafe het. Ski sträälet ds hair, makes en Tschügge and geit de ine finschter Chäuwer embri. Shii geit since ga Äiche, Chääs and Häärpfel rich and grächet de iner Chuchi ds Früeschtuck. Shii triichent Miuchkaffe and ässent Äichebrot derzüe. Dernaa faad d schwäär Heiwerarbeit a Zeerscht mües me ga d Made woorbe, dernaa ga zämmeräche and de ds Heiw in d Schiir trääge and resist tweezers. Gäge Abed takes the Püür d Tschiffera uf de rig and geit uf d Upa embrüf. Since obena ish nu Langsi. D Murmete pfiiffent, d Auperoose bliejent schoolers, but ine Gräbe liggent nu va Räschte Löwine; aes het gschnit in winter e Hüüfe and ggugset aupot. Hibsch isch it now here obena. The Püür ish but Mieda. Aer sets ski nu it Schutzji ufs Bäichji fer z Kirme and it röüke Piiffetji z.

Translation into German font

In the morning when even the moon is shining, the farmer goes to the meadow to mow around. The hay is ripe. At six clock he wakes up his wife from the deep sleep. She combs her hair, braiding her hair and goes into the dark cellar. Because it brings butter, cheese and potatoes and cook in the kitchen after breakfast. You drink coffee with milk and eat bread and butter. After the heavy Heuer work begins. First you have to sprinkle the Mahden, later the hay is raked together and entered again and sprinkled on the haystack with a fork.

Towards evening, the man takes the basket back over his shoulder and goes up to the Alpe ( mountain pasture ). There is still spring. The marmots whistle, the rhododendrons bloom already, but are in the trenches still remnants of snow from the avalanche; in winter it has snowed a lot and stormed (snow storms). Nicely, it is now up here. The farmer, however, is tired and sits down for a while on the little bench to rest and smoke a little whistle.

Differences between the western and the eastern Valais German

Special terms

• Embrüff and embrii: up and down
• Emüächa and EMAB: up and down
• Obschig and nidschig: up and down
• AEMI ( cha) and ämüs (a): in and out

Often old and traditional terms are used colloquially even today. For this, there are even ' modern ' and spread throughout Switzerland synonyms, but which are rarely used.

• Boozu: spirit, frequent figure in Valais Share
• Botsch, Botschji / Büäb: Young boy, boy
• S protection: a while
• It älfs EUWI: A brown ewe (see Aue German, English ewe " ewe " )
• Frigor: refrigerator (from the French frigo )
• Frontag: Thursday
• Geifetsch: Morning fog
• Gindschet / Ginschet: Door Handle
• Grüsch: Bettflasche
• Guttra: bottle ( cf. Latin gutti " pot " gutta " drops " guttula " droplets " guttur " throat " )
• Hopschil or Hopschul: Frog
• Lattüechji / Häärleischji: Fence Lizard
• Manet: month / moon
• Meijä: Flowers
• Mow Meju / Mäju
• Moji: An icon, small icon
• Pfiffoltra / Pfiffoltru: Butterfly (from MHG vivalter, OHG fifaltra )
• Ponte: cone (from the French bondon )
• Port (a): door (from the French porte )
• Pusset: stroller (from French poussette )
• Putti: one ( female ) breast, plural: Puttini
• Puttitschifra / u: Bra
• Schriibi: Pen
• Schwinggi / Gaschi: Pig
• Sienta: Sometimes
• Summi: some / some
• Triibu: Grapes
• Tschifra / Tschifru: a Traghutte that is carried on the back
• Tschugge: rock
• Üstag: Spring
• Zudella / Gschirr: bucket
• Bisch mechanism: composition of "Are you him? " ( In the sense of " Can you do the task? ")

"His" principle, with all forms / times of the verb possible ( I bi- mus, Bisch - mus, Ish- he - mus, Wier si - mus, Sid -er- mus, Are - sch- mus )

• Giz - dar -shih: composition of "Is there to you? " ( In the sense of " Is it comfortable / feel you you well? ")

As in other languages, there are also in the Valais German false friends with translation into German. For example:

• Hocku / s: sit (and not squat about or squat, this means grüppu )
• Tricker: remote control (. and not handle, even if the wdt name is of course derived from its Benutzweise )

Grammar

Flexion of the noun

The Valais is one of the few German dialects, in which a case system of earlier language levels remained largely intact. However, the functional genitive, which became extinct in most German dialects in almost or only appears in traces, and the degree of parallelism of many shapes with the Old High German should not obscure the fact that even with conservative dialects such as the Valais German profound changes went vonstatten throughout history. The following data is based on Elisa Wipf: The dialect of Visperterminen in Valais, Frauenfeld 1910, pp. 119 ff and can still be accessed by more traditional speakers:

The second case comes in phrases like zweiär Jaaro ( two years), to allä Siitun dr Chilchu ( on all sides of the church) or in sentences like Äs schteit to lish Attusch Willä ( It depends on the father from ) and I han dru DRII ( I have those three ) are used.

Conjugation of verbs

Times

In Walliser German there are only two tenses, namely present and the perfect. To express future events is an adverbial determination needed, how it is possible also in German.

An example: "I'm going away for two weeks after France tomorrow. " / " I'm going away tomorrow for two weeks after France. » The same set of Valais German can only be: ". Gaa I mooru fer two proliferations uf Frankriich »

In modern usage, especially among young people, a German ajar to the form of the future tense is formed which does not exist in the Valais German so. Therefore, it may happen that you can hear the above sentence as follows: " I ​​wäärdu mooru fer two proliferations uf Frankriich gaa. "

The Perfect is formed of an auxiliary verb in the present tense and the Perfektpartizip of Vollverbs. As auxiliary verbs occur as well as in the German " be " and " have " (" sii " and " eh ") on. The Perfect is used to express all kinds of things past, since neither a past tense still a pluperfect exist - apart from the dialect of the remote little village Saley, who knew full Präteritalparadigmen up to its downfall around the year 2000 around.

The passive is not " will " as in English with the auxiliary verb, but " come " with ( " cho ") formed. Yet the Germanized version with is As with statements in the future in the passive " to be " (" wäärdu ") used.

Again, an example: " Will this work done today " is the name of Valais German actually " Chunt di Aarbeit nu hitu gmachti " You can, however, also the set of such encounter: . "Will di Aarbeit nu hitu gmacht »? .

It is striking that in the first example sentence, the participle is declined, the second is not. Participles are usually adapted to the subject in gender and number. In the " more German " variant sounds probably a little strange, therefore it omits to intuitively adjust the participle. Furthermore, it can also happen that the participle is not adjusted in the first sample set (incorrectly).

Verb classes

While a classification of verb classes seem sensible in the written language because together fallen endings only in historical- linguistic studies and also in the other Swiss German dialects only reduced it can be seen, one can clearly different weak verb classes in Walliser German in addition to the strong class of verbs yet. Although mixing of the classes over time occurred under each other, they provide a relatively straightforward continuation of the Old High German relations represents the following data is based on Elisa Wipf: The dialect of Visperterminen in Valais. Frauenfeld 1910, pp. 145 ff

In other Valais and Südwalser dialects differentiation is get even more clearly than in the dialect of Visperterminen shown above. So the Lötschentaler dialect knows according to the Linguistic Atlas of German Switzerland Volume III card 1 (the examples are adapted to those of Wipf ) in the area of ​​weak verbs such as Old High German three and not "only" two infinitives:

In Middle High German these different endings were reduced to two, namely, -t and- et outside the Valais and Südwalser dialect area. This figure has remained well preserved especially in the eastern Swiss German, see, for example Zurich German he is, HaT gsetzt in imitation of Old High German setzit, gisetzit against it fischet, HaT gfischet and he Løset, HaT gloset in imitation of Old High German fiskōt, gifiskōt or Løset. , gilosēt. In standard German, however, has a redistribution of the endings -t and- et according to phonological criteria occurred ( -et after dental and certain consonant clusters, moreover, -t) so that no longer continue, there the Old and Middle High German relations.

Be

( Be ) Below are the conjugation of the verb " sii ":

Regular conjugation

The following table lists the regular conjugation using the verb " lüegu " ( look ) is illustrated.

It is also striking here is that the Walliser German features of the Old High German better preserved than some other dialect or as the high-level language, such as the ending- u of the first person singular ( cf. OHG Nimu I suppose ) and the obtained also in the south Bavaria ending- nt of the third person plural ( cf. OHG nëmant they take ). ( In New High German by the way reminds solely in the form of "are" of the verb "to be". )