Whenever going places having a look at their written media – what used to be called press :) - gives a glimpse into their thinking, their way of perceiving and interpreting the world. Surely, it helps getting acquainted.

The Swiss press – it also - is undergoing deep changes. Digitization and industrialization being the key words. The strategies of the various media groups are rather different.

The challenge in one sentence: the earning power of ...

Wahrnehmung

• High German: Die Wahrnehmung
  
• English: Perception

I love the combination of ‘Wahr’ (truth) and ‘Nehmung’ (taking) to mean the English word ‘perception’.

The German word Wahrnehmung reminds me that our perceptions (how we take the truth) are not necessarily the same as truth. In our current world of ‘fake news’ I think remembering this is especially important.

Overview

Some say (Swiss) German isn’t a beautiful (let alone sexy ...

Die Gegenwart: the present (time)

If we take this word apart we find it is made of gegen (against) and wart (waiting). So literally, the word means ‘against waiting’. I find this word so beautiful because of what it represents. In the present, we aren’t (or shouldn’t) be waiting for anything – we are here.

Additionally, I’m assuming this word was developed after the words ‘gegen’ and ‘wart ...

Der Beruf: Occupation

While in English we often (or at least technically) refer to a ‘Job’ as an ‘Occupation’ (literally something that occupies us and our time), I love that the German word for occupation (Beruf) is composed of the word ‘Ruf’ which translates into ‘Call/ Calling’. The German word reminds us that our ‘occupation’ should not simply be something that ‘occupies’ our time, but rather something that ‘calls’ us ...

Vitamin B

• High German: Vitamin B
  
• Swiss German: Vitamin B
  
• English: Good connections

If you want to find a job in Switzerland, or anywhere for that matter, you will need a good dose of Vitamin B. This has nothing to do with the vitamin B complex that help your body process fat and protein, but everything to do with the people you know who can help land you that job ...