https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Whether you live in the German, French, or Italian part of Switzerland, learning the local language is a must. But are language courses worth the costs? Share your own view and tips below. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250107/what-foreigners-in-switzerland-should-know-about-language-course-options Tue, 07 Jan 2025 16:25:25 +0100 what-foreigners-in-switzerland-should-know-about-language-course-options Does your personality really change when speaking another language? Are people more comfortable expressing emotions in certain languages and can understanding the emotional shift actually help with language learning? Language professors Mari Mar Boillos Pereira and Ana Blanco Canales explore the latest research. https://www.thelocal.ch/20241206/opinion-your-personality-changes-when-you-speak-another-language-but-thats-not-always-a-bad-thing Fri, 06 Dec 2024 11:38:45 +0100 opinion-your-personality-changes-when-you-speak-another-language-but-thats-not-always-a-bad-thing Switzerland's four national languages means there are four different names for Christmas. We break down why - and how to say Merry Christmas wherever you are in the country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20191223/understanding-the-different-names-for-christmas-across-switzerland Mon, 23 Dec 2019 14:07:53 +0100 understanding-the-different-names-for-christmas-across-switzerland Switzerland’s government has decided to recognise the dialect spoken in canton Jura as an official minority language. https://www.thelocal.ch/20181227/recognition-for-jura-based-french-dialect-after-european-council-report Thu, 27 Dec 2018 15:44:31 +0100 recognition-for-jura-based-french-dialect-after-european-council-report Should a Swiss Federal Councillor be able to speak English? https://www.thelocal.ch/20181214/lost-in-translation-swiss-minister-federal-councillor-guy-parmelin-criticised-for-lack-of-english Fri, 14 Dec 2018 12:41:20 +0100 lost-in-translation-swiss-minister-federal-councillor-guy-parmelin-criticised-for-lack-of-english We are looking for your help in creating a new monthly what's on page covering events in Switzerland that are aimed at English speakers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20181114/whats-on-do-you-know-of-any-english-language-events-around-switzerland Wed, 14 Nov 2018 11:38:30 +0100 whats-on-do-you-know-of-any-english-language-events-around-switzerland Switzerland remains stuck in the second tier of countries when it comes to speaking English as a foreign language, a new study shows, but there are reasons for optimism, as the head of the English Teachers Association of Switzerland explained to The Local. https://www.thelocal.ch/20181107/why-switzerland-still-lags-behind-on-english-skills Wed, 07 Nov 2018 21:37:02 +0100 why-switzerland-still-lags-behind-on-english-skills In a surprise u-turn, the cantonal parliament in Thurgau has voted against a motion to banish the teaching of French from primary schools. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170614/thurgau-mps-vote-to-keep-french-on-primary-school-timetable Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:18:49 +0200 thurgau-mps-vote-to-keep-french-on-primary-school-timetable Foreigners in Switzerland are more likely to speak two of the national languages than their Swiss counterparts. https://www.thelocal.ch/20161227/immigrants-in-switzerland-speak-more-national-languages-than-the-swiss Tue, 27 Dec 2016 18:34:45 +0100 immigrants-in-switzerland-speak-more-national-languages-than-the-swiss French-speaking residents of Switzerland’s biggest bilingual city, Biel/Bienne, overwhelmingly feel disadvantaged compared to their German-speaking neighbours, according to a study. https://www.thelocal.ch/20161221/francophones-in-bilingual-swiss-city-cry-discrimination Wed, 21 Dec 2016 11:58:45 +0100 francophones-in-bilingual-swiss-city-cry-discrimination In a move it says will help new residents integrate better, the city of Geneva is translating multiple administrative documents and information flyers into English and four other languages. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160210/geneva-to-translate-information-into-english Wed, 10 Feb 2016 10:50:13 +0100 geneva-to-translate-information-into-english Reflecting continuing strong demand for English-language schooling in the Lake Geneva region, the Geneva English School has announced plans to launch a new secondary school next year. https://www.thelocal.ch/20151126/new-english-school-set-to-open-in-geneva Thu, 26 Nov 2015 13:07:39 +0100 new-english-school-set-to-open-in-geneva Switzerland continues to fall behind other countries in the world for English proficiency, according to a new study of 70 nations by Education First (EF), an international language training company. https://www.thelocal.ch/20151103/switzerland-falls-behind-in-english-skills-study Tue, 03 Nov 2015 13:00:01 +0100 switzerland-falls-behind-in-english-skills-study Switzerland trails behind 17 other countries in what is billed as the world’s largest ranking of English skills in non-Anglophone countries. https://www.thelocal.ch/20141112/swiss-ranking-for-english-skills-worsens Wed, 12 Nov 2014 20:08:00 +0100 swiss-ranking-for-english-skills-worsens A majority of MPs in Bern would back federal intervention if cantons scrap the instruction of a second national language in primary schools, a survey by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation shows. https://www.thelocal.ch/20141007/federal-mps-back-action-on-school-languages Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:35:00 +0200 federal-mps-back-action-on-school-languages