I agree with everyone who has said that learning a little of the language and using it, even haltingly, is greeted much more warmly than not even making the attempt. I actually got a German lesson in the Cologne train station from a kindly old gentleman who had fought in Stalingrad!

How refreshing it is to find someone inquiring which language to bone up on rather than "do they speak English in xxx?"

Good for you, jfm! Gute reise!

thank you all for these precise and incredibly thoughtful replies. i assure you that the insights you've provided will enrich our trip...best regards to all, jfm.

Cicerone - thanks for that information! One question, how would one ask "what do you recommend?" in Swiss German? (I know it in High German, but not Swiss) This phrase has solved all my foreign menu problems in the past :) I don't suppose rick steves has a swiss german phrase book? :)

I'll ask my Swiss German friends, but remember that they may reply with Swiss German word for the dish which may not give you a clue as to what you are ordering! They will understand if you ask in High German, they just may respond in English.

My most hilarous experience was asking about a dish and my German and Swiss German was not good at the time (still is not) and the waiter's English was not good, so he looked at me and said "Bambi". I instantly understood that he was saying that it was vension. Quite delicious by the way. . . .

aduren:

PLEASE do not try to speak Swiss German.

Try "was empfehlen Sie" for "what do you recommend".

We cannot help to tie ourselves into knots of hysterical laughter (at least internally) at anybody trying to speak Swiss German (especially Germans ;-) Hello Ingo! Glad you didn't try :-)) ).

It will be highly appreciated if you make an effort to speak a few words of German, and as a rule, you will be answered in English.

A German editor carries guides for virtually every language. They have published a guide called "Schwyzertüütsch" (Swiss German). As it is based on the dialect spoken in and around Zurich, it was negatively reviewed in almost all Swiss newspapers and magazines (except the ones from Zurich) :-)

Enjoy your trip

Phil

OK!! haha I will NOT attempt any Swiss German then :)

Maybe this is a stupid question, but do people in Locarno and other southern Swiss towns speak Swiss Italian??

aduren:

They used to. The Swiss Italian dialects are still alive and used in Ticino, but generally limited to conversations among friends. In day-to-day business standard Italian is normally used.

Phil.