why does switzerland have three official languages?
2007-12-30 12:07:02 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
French, German and Italian.
2007-12-30 15:15:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
To be correct: Switzerland has 4 NATIONAL languages, i.e. German, French, Italian, Romansh, and 3 OFFICIAL languages (German, French, Italian). The difference? Well, only the official languages count, though all the national languages get support from the federal government and for the states it's possible to declare one or more national languages as "official" language. Confused??? So are the Swiss... :-)
2008-01-02 04:26:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, Switzerland has four official languages. They are German,Italian,French, and Romansh. Romansh is a rare Latin dialect spoken in some southern parts of the country, I think mainly in mountainous areas. I think the country has so many official languages as a way to preserve peace and avoid favoritism of one group over another. Switzerland must be doing something right, because you never here about linguistic animosities there like you do in other countries.
2008-01-01 05:25:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
switzerland has at least 3 official languages german, french and italian a minute portion of the people speak romanche. if you look at the country on a map you will see that it faces countries which speak those three and since it is so small(3000 sq. miles. it really has no language of its own.
2007-12-30 14:52:21 · answer #4 · answered by Loren S 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It has 4 official languages.
German, French, Italian and Retroroman (romansch)
It is so, because historically Switzerland was formed as a confederation of territories populated by different ethnic groups.
2007-12-30 12:15:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
they have several official langauges which i find it odd but...
here
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages
2007-12-30 12:17:00 · answer #6 · answered by sue16683@verizon.net 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
German, Italian and French
2007-12-30 16:44:28 · answer #7 · answered by :D...hello 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
German, French and Italian.
2007-12-30 12:12:27 · answer #8 · answered by Sophie L 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
italian, german, and french. because the country was influenced by the other surrounding countries.
2007-12-30 18:26:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
one of them is French
2007-12-30 12:13:55 · answer #10 · answered by Yuri ^_^ 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋