[roaddog727]

THe Swiss-German to which you refer is called "schwaebish" or "Schwope-Deutsche". The propper or High German to which you refer is "Hoch-Deutsche".

My grandfather (Opa) was from Northern Germany (Hannover) and my grandmother (Oma) was from souther Germany (Stuttgart). Opa mercilessly pesterd Oma about her Schwaebish constantly.

Yes. They are decidedly different.

[Yaelle]

No. My own relatives spoke Schwaebisch. I am talking about Schwiitzerdeuutch. Swiss-German, spoken in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland. You are correct that there are other German dialects, within and without Germany. Irish is a dialect of English, and there are others. Including Ebonics.

My point was that in all public and literary communication, the highest form of the language should be used. Spoken, to friends, family, and coworkers, it's quite OK to use one's dialect, and is in fact charming and inclusive to its speakers. But one must trust that one's children are smart enough to learn to converse, read, and write the high form of one's mother tongue.

Little Irish and Swiss children can do it. Little American black children can do it, too. It is sad that black leaders don't feel their own children are intelligent enough to learn a language fluently.