The LDS Family History Library has a dialect dictionary between the Davos (Graubünden) Swiss-German dialect and standard German that was published about 1875 or so. I'm pretty sure that it is available on microfilm but don't have the film number available. I am also aware of at least a couple other such dictionaries for other areas in Graubünden in the LDS library collection. One thing which really broke me up when I first saw this work was that the German term for a dialect dictionary was "Idiotikon". The term tells worlds about German language professors and the speakers of dialects <g>. Regards, Mike Hobart ----- Original Message ----- From: Seelentag Wolfhart Dr. KSSG_RO <wolf.seelentag@kssg.ch> To: <SWITZERLAND-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 9:47 AM Subject: AW: [SWITZ] Swiss-English / English-Swiss software or dictionary > > Von: C. J. Lisa[SMTP:cjlisa@worldnet.att.net] > > Gesendet: Freitag, 4. Februar 2000 16:38 > > An: SWITZERLAND-L@rootsweb.com > > Betreff: [SWITZ] Swiss-English /English-Swiss software or dictionary > > > > Hi all.... > > > > Does any one know of a source for a Swiss-English dictionary or software. > > German does not provide a complete translation and I would like to learn > > Swiss. I know a little to get by but not enough to be coherent. > > > > Thanks for your help. > > > Dear Claire, > > this question comes up occasionally - and I'm not sure whether there ever > was a full answer. > > I don't know of a serious SwissGerman-English dictionary (I have seen one as > souvenir - but that's more of a joke and will be of no use for genealogy) : > it's not the words themselfes which make todays Swiss-German difficult to > understand - it's the pronounciation (dialect). When reading a newspaper, > I'll still be able to tell you after a few minutes whether it is Swiss or > German - but this will largely be due to the syntax used; there are only > very few words used (in "normal" texts) in Switzerland, which you wouldn't > find in a good German dictionary. The problem are the terms (like > professions, political positions, and the like) found in the older documents > we genealogists often try to read - most Swiss today (unless interested in > history or genealogy) will not be able to tell you their meaning either, let > alone translate them into any other language. This is the same for Germany : > for such terms the best "general" dictionary will not help you - you need a > "genealogical dictionary"; there is a good one I know of - by Ernest Thode - > check > http://www2.genealogy.net/gene/misc/dictgen.html > for more detail plus other related references. The problem with genealogical > (or historical) dictionaries is that there was no "Germany" during most of > the time of interest to genealogists (let alone an area including > Switzerland) - consequently quite different words were used for the same > thing - or the same word might have had quite different meanings in > different regions! So if you *really* want to understand, the only way is to > search for a book describing these old expressions (in German, don't think > you'll find one in English) for your region of research - and then translate > this description (using a good general dictionary) to English. > > Ernest Thode may want to add something to this comment (?). > > If anyone out there really wants to get into this, and compile relevant > information of this type for Switzerland - you'd be more than welcome to > join our SwissGen Team ;-). > > Best regards - Wolf > > > ==== SWITZERLAND Mailing List ==== > Support RootsWeb! Help provide FREE genealogical resources on the > Internet: http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html >