Helvetismen – helvetismy

Slova, která se používají ve spisovné němčině pouze ve Švýcarsku se nazývají helvetismy. Pojmenování pochází od latinského názvu pro Švýcarsko, Helvetia. Helvetismy se liší od standardního německého jazyka, jak se používá v Německu nebo v Rakousku.

Jsou to taková slova jako například parkieren, Velo.
(D: Feldsalat, Ö: Vogerlsalat, CH: Nüsslisalat).

Helvetismy se obyčejně nenazývají slova pocházející z německých švýcarských dialektů, i když i taková mohou do místní spisovné němčiny proniknout. Například “Znüni” namísto “Frühstück” (snídaně) nebo “Öpfel” místo “Apfel” (jablko).

The Swiss German word Znüni is a short form of the German ‘zu neun’ which literally means ‘at nine’. It refers to a small meal or a snack that is eaten at or around 9am. A non-literal translation for Znüni would be ‘mid-morning snack’.

Znüni is a custom all over Switzerland and exists in schools, companies and homes just the same. Some companies even encourage their employees to take a mid-morning break and enjoy a conversation and a cup of coffee with their colleagues because it supposedly improves productivity.

In fact, Znüni is such a common thing in Switzerland that the word Znüni is also used in combination with other words:

Znünibrot (Znüni bread)

Znünigipfeli (Znüni croissant)
Znüniöpfel (Znüni apple)
Znünipause (Znüni break)
Znüniwägeli (Znüni food truck)

Helvetismen is a term used in linguistics to describe two separate but related concepts, both referring to specific aspects of Swiss German:

  1. Variations in Swiss Standard German: This is the most common meaning. Here, Helvetismen refers to features of Swiss Standard German that distinguish it from Standard German used in other German-speaking regions. These differences can be found in vocabulary, pronunciation, syntax, and even orthography.
  • Vocabulary: Probably the most well-known type of Helvetismen. Examples include:
    • Nüsslisalat (Swiss chard) – This word has no direct equivalent in Standard German.
    • Parkieren (to park) – While “parken” exists in Standard German, “parkieren” is more common in Switzerland.
  • Other aspects: There are also grammatical and pronunciation differences. For instance, “Morgenessen” (breakfast) is a common Helvetism in place of “Frühstück.”
  1. Swiss Socio-Political Terms: In a less common usage, Helvetismen can also refer to specific terms used in the Swiss socio-political context. These words capture unique aspects of Swiss culture and political thought.
  • An example of this type of Helvetism is “Zauberformel” (magic formula), which refers to the concept of consensus-building in Swiss politics.

Certainly! Helvetisms are features distinctive of Swiss Standard German that distinguish it from Standard German. These linguistic elements are most commonly found in vocabulary and pronunciation, but there are also some distinctive features within syntax and orthography1. The term “Helvetism” comes from the Neo-Latin word “Helvetia,” which means “Switzerland.” Let’s explore this topic further!

  • Vocabulary: Helvetisms refer to words or expressions that are typical in Swiss German but not commonly used in the entire German-speaking region. For example, the Swiss term “Nüsslisalat” (meaning lamb’s lettuce) is a Helvetism, as it is not widely used outside of Switzerland2.
  • Pronunciation: Swiss Standard German may have slight variations in pronunciation compared to Standard German spoken in other regions. These differences contribute to the distinct Swiss accent.
  • Syntax: Some sentence structures or word order preferences in Swiss German differ from those in Standard German. These syntactic features are considered Helvetisms.
  • Orthography: The absence of the letter “ß” (eszett) in Swiss Standard German is a significant orthographic difference. While “ß” is used in Standard German, it is not present in Swiss orthography1.

Interestingly, Swiss literature often incorporates Helvetisms, creating a unique literary flavor. Authors like Jeremias Gotthelf and contemporary writers like Tim Krohn use these distinctive elements in their works. Additionally, some authors intentionally avoid Helvetisms to appeal to a broader German-speaking audience1.

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