Part of the reason is Switzerland’s love–hate relationship with its big neighbour to the north, which is often more hate than love. Germany is often referred to, half-jokingly, as the ‘big canton’ and the recent influx of thousands of Germans into Switzerland6 has raised the tension rather than helped relations. The Germans seem to be the only ones who can make the Swiss feel inferior, and that’s not an easy feat. It’s partly about language. High German, as spoken by the newcomers, is much more direct and less fluffy than the Swiss German dialects so its speakers seem arrogant and rude, at
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