English in German Switzerland: a study of magazine advertisements and high school pupil attitudes

Abstract

One indication of the status of English in German Switzerland is the extent to which it is used in advertisements in magazines. This thesis examines "codeswitched" English elements in advertisements from 1997 in issues of two German language magazines, Facts and Schweizer Illustrierte, reproducing Cheshire and Moser's (1994) work in the Suisse Romandie. This text-based linguistic analysis is complemented by responses to a set of questions collected from thirty German Swiss secondary school pupils. The analysis indicates that the use of English in advertisements in Switzerland is increasing, promoting consumer products to younger, better-educated and more affluent consumers. Responses to the questionnaire confirm that the use of English in advertisements in German Switzerland evokes connotations of internationalism, urbanity, modernity, technology, and popular culture, thereby mirroring the pupils' beliefs about the English-speaking world, particularly the United States. Students generally responded positively to English in advertisements provided it was used skilfully and appropriately: e.g. for luxury items or imported goods. They reacted much less positively however, when English was used to promote "everyday" Swiss products.