Tuesday, June 26, 2018

How many ways can you say Schätzli?

I could not resist. Please bear with me if your language is not Swiss German! Having grown up in Zürich this list is priceless. Schwiizerdütsch is definitely my second mother tongue. So, when I came across a fellow blogger's list of popular Swiss German terms of endearment I could not help but smile ... and then as I read the extensive list I found myself giggling and even laughing. A humorous guide to Switzerland - a Swiss lady currently living in South America - has nailed this collection of pet names.


What most of these names have in common is the ending "-li" which basically turns the thing or person a word refers to into something small. Some are common, some unusual, some fun and some kinky but they ALL ring a bell. Thank you, Irene, for letting me dwell in a moment of homesickness!

These are my favourite:
Amediesli (meaning unknown)
Ängeli (little angel)
Augesternli (little starry eyes)
Augöpfeli (little apple of the eye)
Böhnli (little bean)
Böpperli (meaning unknown)
Bubeli (little boy)
Chäferli (little bug)
Chätzli (little cat)
Chnöpfli (little button)
Chnuschperli (little crunchy thing)
Chröttli (little toad)
Chrüseli (curly hair)
Goldchäfer (gold beetle)
Hasibärli (little bunny bear)
Häsli (little bunny)
Herzchäferli (little heart bug)
Mückli (little mosquito)
Murmeli (little marmot)
Müüsli (little mouse)
Muus (mouse)
Pflödderli (meaning unknown)
Pfüderi (meaning unknown)
Schätzeli (little treasure)
Schätzi (little treasure)
Schläckerli (little sweet candy)
Schnadehüdeli (meaning unknown)
Schnäggechäfer (snail bug)
Schnäggli (little snail)
Schnüfel (little breath)
Schnügel (cutie)
Schnuggebuzzeli (meaning unknown)
Schnuggi (cutie)
Schnusi (meaning unknown)
Schnusimusi (meaning unknown)
Spätzli (little sparrow)
Sunneschii (sunshine)
Süürmeli (meaning unknown)
Tigerli (little tiger)
Totschli (little clumsy one)
Zuckerschnoizli (little sugar moustache)
Zwergli (little dwarf)
Source: Slangikon

1 comment:

Irene said...

I just now saw your post about my post! Thanks for sharing and I'm happy to read that you liked it!

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