5. Communication

Although Swiss German is considered a spoken language, you may find Swiss authors and nespapers using dialect terms. It is difficult now to find a teenager in Switzerland without a mobile phone text messaging or e-mailing a friend. It is possible to beat that in informal communication like this written forms os Swiss dialect are being used.

Most meetings with foreigners will be conducted in English. It is important for business people and travellers alike to appreciate the difficulties of speaking in a foreign language, even if the business associates appear to be quite fluent. Likewise, how they interpret your words, as well as  your actions, may be far from what you expect. For the Swiss, especially, this is cause for concern, as being clear in intent is very important to them.

Their behaviors are most part of time tending to respect and being respected that is more important than being liked, and their style of communication reflects this. In conversation, they may seem to be cold and distant to foreigners, unlike Americans for example, who might come across as being too personal. The difference actually lies more in each party’s interpretation of politeness.

Personal involvement for the Siwss is something that increases over time. It is a matter of trust, but also of what is appropriate. When communicating in public, they tend to respect one another’s boundaries rather than cross them in search of further personal knowledge. This is not from lack of interest but from not wanting to appear too intrusive. Swiss don’t ask personal questions until you know them well.

Swiss place a high value on being direct and to the point, which can make them sound abrupt. But again this is only their style of communication.

Above all else, the Swiss wish to avoid confrontation. How then do they achieve this without the aid of those little social niceties the Americans and British are so conditioned to using, and which would sound downright patronizing to the average Swiss?

As in Swiss politics and business life, compromise and consensus are the key to successful social relations. Not surprisingly their basic communication style reflects this as well. The Swiss don’t necessarily expect others to agree with them, and in the same vein they respect the other’s point of view. They will  listen intently, but in turn will present a well-thought-out case for consideration.