Читать книгу The River Rhone Cycle Route. From the Alps to the Mediterranean онлайн

13 страница из 52

Swiss languages

While it might appear that Switzerland with four official languages, German (spoken by 72 percent of the Swiss population), French (22 per cent), Italian (six per cent) and Romansh (under one per cent), is a multi-lingual country, this is far from being true. Federal government business is conducted in German, French and Italian and school students are required to learn at least two languages. However, in most cantons, business is mono-lingual and it is sometimes difficult to find people willing to speak any Swiss language other than their own. Even Valais, where German is spoken in part of the canton and French in the rest, is not officially bi-lingual. The only places in Switzerland where bi-lingualism is legally prescribed are three towns that sit astride the isogloss (language border) including Sierre/Siders (Stage 2).

France

The Fifth French republic is the current manifestation of a great colonial nation that developed out of Charlemagne’s eighth-century Frankish kingdom and eventually spread its power throughout Europe and beyond.