REVEALED: The Swiss canton where English is spoken the most
Many people in Switzerland either have English as their mother tongue, or have learned it as a foreign language. Now newly released research shines a light on the canton with the highest proportion of people who use English as their primary language.
English is by far the most important foreign language in the canton of Zug.
According to figures, just over 14 percent of the population - almost every seventh person - over the age of 15 in Zug sees English as their primary language.
That's according to new research from the Federal Statistical Office released by the canton of Zug recently.
This means that English is the main language for significantly more people in the canton of Zug than in the whole of Switzerland, Central Switzerland, and the neighbouring cantons of Aargau and Zurich.
READ ALSO: 'You're missing out': Is it possible to get by in Switzerland just speaking English?
The figures, which are based on data from 2022, show that in Basel-City, the proportion of people who mainly speak English is 12.5 percent. In Geneva it's 11.8 percent and in Zurich the proportion of people who see English as their primary language is 10.8 percent.
The Swiss average of primary English speakers is 7.1 percent, just one percentage point behind the proportion of primary Italian speakers, according to the statement issued by the Zug authorities.
Meanwhile, the so-called half cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Ausserrhoden and Jura have the fewest English speakers in Switzerland. Bern, Lucerne and St. Gallen are in the middle of the cantonal rankings.
READ ALSO: Just how good are the Swiss at speaking different languages?
What languages are widely spoken in Zug?
Zug is in the German-speaking region of Switzerland so many locals will be German and Swiss-German speakers.
According to the data, which was taken from a random sample of people and extrapolated, 86.6 per cent of the population aged 15 and over state one of the four Swiss national languages as their main language.
READ ALSO: How did Switzerland become a country with four languages?
However, the development of English speakers in the canton of Zug since the turn of the millennium is significant. In 2000, less than two percent of the Zug population primarily spoke English. By 2012, this figure had risen to over eight percent. And since 2012, the proportion has increased again by around 6 percentage points.
According to the canton, English is very important in the Zug working world. Four out of 10 employed Zug residents regularly speak English at work. For people in upper management or academic professions, the figure is almost two out of three people.
This means that English is more important in a work environment in the canton of Zug than in the canton of Zurich, and has almost the same importance as standard German, which is spoken regularly at work by 42.3 percent.
While more English is spoken in the canton of Zug, the proportion of the population who speaks standard German or Swiss German is declining. In 2012, over 84 percent spoke primarily German or Swiss German, and 10 years later the figure fell to 79 percent.
The Swiss national languages French and Italian are spoken by 3.5 and 4 percent respectively. In addition to English and the national languages, the people of Zug also frequently speak Serbo-Croatian languages, Spanish and Portuguese.
The municipalities of Zug and Walchwil have the highest number of primary English speakers, according to the authorities.
Almost every third person aged 15 and over in Walchwil (27.3 percent) and every fifth person in the city of Zug (20 percent) state English as their main language. This means that both communities are well above the cantonal average. Steinhausen (8.8 percent) and Cham (10.9 percent) have the lowest proportion, but are still above the Swiss average.
The majority of Zug's population aged 15 and over speaks Swiss German at home (70.2 percent). This value is lower compared to the central Swiss cantons (80.1 percent). Standard German is the second most common language spoken at home with a share of 15.4 percent. In addition, 13 percent speak English at home.
Comments
See Also
English is by far the most important foreign language in the canton of Zug.
According to figures, just over 14 percent of the population - almost every seventh person - over the age of 15 in Zug sees English as their primary language.
That's according to new research from the Federal Statistical Office released by the canton of Zug recently.
This means that English is the main language for significantly more people in the canton of Zug than in the whole of Switzerland, Central Switzerland, and the neighbouring cantons of Aargau and Zurich.
READ ALSO: 'You're missing out': Is it possible to get by in Switzerland just speaking English?
The figures, which are based on data from 2022, show that in Basel-City, the proportion of people who mainly speak English is 12.5 percent. In Geneva it's 11.8 percent and in Zurich the proportion of people who see English as their primary language is 10.8 percent.
The Swiss average of primary English speakers is 7.1 percent, just one percentage point behind the proportion of primary Italian speakers, according to the statement issued by the Zug authorities.
Meanwhile, the so-called half cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Ausserrhoden and Jura have the fewest English speakers in Switzerland. Bern, Lucerne and St. Gallen are in the middle of the cantonal rankings.
READ ALSO: Just how good are the Swiss at speaking different languages?
What languages are widely spoken in Zug?
Zug is in the German-speaking region of Switzerland so many locals will be German and Swiss-German speakers.
According to the data, which was taken from a random sample of people and extrapolated, 86.6 per cent of the population aged 15 and over state one of the four Swiss national languages as their main language.
READ ALSO: How did Switzerland become a country with four languages?
However, the development of English speakers in the canton of Zug since the turn of the millennium is significant. In 2000, less than two percent of the Zug population primarily spoke English. By 2012, this figure had risen to over eight percent. And since 2012, the proportion has increased again by around 6 percentage points.
According to the canton, English is very important in the Zug working world. Four out of 10 employed Zug residents regularly speak English at work. For people in upper management or academic professions, the figure is almost two out of three people.
This means that English is more important in a work environment in the canton of Zug than in the canton of Zurich, and has almost the same importance as standard German, which is spoken regularly at work by 42.3 percent.
While more English is spoken in the canton of Zug, the proportion of the population who speaks standard German or Swiss German is declining. In 2012, over 84 percent spoke primarily German or Swiss German, and 10 years later the figure fell to 79 percent.
The Swiss national languages French and Italian are spoken by 3.5 and 4 percent respectively. In addition to English and the national languages, the people of Zug also frequently speak Serbo-Croatian languages, Spanish and Portuguese.
The municipalities of Zug and Walchwil have the highest number of primary English speakers, according to the authorities.
Almost every third person aged 15 and over in Walchwil (27.3 percent) and every fifth person in the city of Zug (20 percent) state English as their main language. This means that both communities are well above the cantonal average. Steinhausen (8.8 percent) and Cham (10.9 percent) have the lowest proportion, but are still above the Swiss average.
The majority of Zug's population aged 15 and over speaks Swiss German at home (70.2 percent). This value is lower compared to the central Swiss cantons (80.1 percent). Standard German is the second most common language spoken at home with a share of 15.4 percent. In addition, 13 percent speak English at home.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.