Language

Few subjects are so intertwined with the fabric of Switzerland as language—nor have such power to unite or divide us. Whether you grew up in this linguistically complex nation or you’re experiencing it as one of the some 1.6 million foreigners living here, this section is dedicated to providing materials to aid those who want to improve their English, as well as resources for expats who want to learn the national languages — — — — >

Improve your English: Read along with WRS
Whenever scripts are available with our feature stories, we’ll publish them here:

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Why is Switzerland so pricey?

Why is Switzerland so pricey?
Monday, 5 July, 2010Last week Switzerland joined the Cassis de Dijon agreement, which allows products to flow over the border without as many restrictions. This has fed the ongoing discussion about cost of living in Switzerland and why products just across the border are sometimes much cheaper. WRS’s Tony Ganzer wanted to find out why products in Switzerland are so expensive, and what the consumer could and should do about it.

Dateline CH: Remembering Nicolas Hayek

Dateline CH: Remembering Nicolas Hayek
Thursday, 1 July, 2010BBC correspondent Imogen Foulkes looks at the life of the man who helped the Swiss watch industry tick again:

When time ran out—looking back at Nicolas Hayek

When time ran out—looking back at Nicolas Hayek
Tuesday, 29 June, 2010Nicolas Hayek, the chairman of Swatch, died yesterday in his office at age 82. Hayek was a business legend and a colorful national character. WRS’s Jordan Davis has this portrait.

Dateline CH: Bern, you're no James Bond

Dateline CH: Bern, you're no James Bond
Thursday, 24 June, 2010James Bond’s mother was Swiss. Maybe this is what inspired the foreign affairs team which hatched a plan to rescue the Libyan hostages with the help of a submarine? According to BBC Switzerland correspondent Imogen Foulkes, this isn’t the daftest part of the story:

Disability theme park divides disabled

Disability theme park divides disabled
Thursday, 10 June, 2010Organisations representing the disabled are divided over a planned visitor attraction in Rathausen in canton Lucerne. The Paradrom is a theme park designed to give the able-bodied an insight into the daily reality of being disabled. It’s costing 22 million francs and is due to open in 2013 in a former monastery. WRS reporter Vincent Landon has more:

Cantons lure international HQs—and anger—with low tax rates

Cantons lure international HQs—and anger—with low tax rates
Tuesday, 8 June, 2010Canton Lucerne is sending its top tax official to London at the end of this month to tempt UK businesses and individuals with its lucrative tax rates. It’s part of an ongoing competition between Swiss cantons to attract business. But not everyone’s happy with these rock-bottom tax rate offers. WRS reporter Vincent Landon has the story:

Dateline CH: Male chauvinism is alive and well

Dateline CH: Male chauvinism is alive and well
Thursday, 27 May, 2010What happened to equality of the sexes? If last week’s Novartis verdict reminded us that gender discrimination is not a thing of the past, it’s certainly not confined to the workplace realises Imogen Foulkes:

Swiss company blamed as oil continues to gush into sea

Swiss company blamed as oil continues to gush into sea
Thursday, 29 April, 2010Swiss-based oil services company Transocean is being accused of negligence after a massive rig explosion off the U.S. coastline. The company, based in Zug, is being named alongside the well’s owner BP, in a lawsuit on behalf of the family of one of the employees. Nine Transocean’s staff and two other contractors are presumed to have been killed in the explosion eight days ago. Five separate investigations into the incident have already begun in the U.S. as an emergency response team works around the clock to try to contain the environmental impact of the spilling oil. Our Washington correspondent Daniel Ryntjes reports:

Move to keep cars off city streets accelerating

Move to keep cars off city streets accelerating
Tuesday, 13 April, 2010With more and more cars on the road, cities around the world are trying to find ways to deal with them. Here in Switzerland, it’s no exception and a number of initiatives are planned in the next 12 months to prevent cars clogging up urban areas. High priority is accorded to public transport and improving the lot of pedestrians and cyclists. Spearheading the campaign is traffic and environment group umverkehR—that’s word play on the German word for traffic—or actif-trafic in the Swiss Romand. WRS reporter Vincent Landon has more:

Crisis in the classroom: Teacher shortage looms

Crisis in the classroom: Teacher shortage looms
Thursday, 8 April, 2010Several German-speaking cantons are facing an acute shortage of teachers. In canton Zurich, 10% of the 3,000 secondary school teachers are employed in positions for which they are not trained. In Lucerne, about 16% of teachers don’t have suitable qualifications for the level they are teaching. The problem is likely to get worse as more and more teachers reach retirement age and fewer and fewer students apply for teacher training. WRS’s Vincent Landon reports:

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