Zug witnesses a significant linguistic shift, with English becoming a primary language for 14% of its residents, reflecting its growing importance in the local workforce and community.
The Federal Statistical Office’s structural survey of 2022 highlights this trend, noting a substantial leap from less than two percent in 2000 to over eight percent in 2012. The surge to 14.1% signifies English’s status as the canton’s foremost foreign language, outpacing other regions in Switzerland. Notably, Zug leads with the highest ratio of English speakers, followed by Basel-Stadt, Geneva, and Zurich, with the national average at 7.1%.
English’s prevalence is most evident in Walchwil and Zug city, where 27.3% and 20.0% of the population, respectively, identify it as their main language. This starkly contrasts with Steinhausen and Cham, where the figures are lower yet still surpass the Swiss average.
In the workplace, English’s role is increasingly crucial, with 40.1% of Zug’s employed population using it regularly. This is particularly true for those in senior management or academic positions, where nearly two-thirds rely on English. While Swiss German remains dominant, English’s usage closely rivals that of standard German, marking a shift from 2012 statistics.
This rise in English corresponds with a decline in German or Swiss German speakers in Zug, dropping from 84.7% in 2012 to 78.9% in 2022. At home, Swiss German is spoken by 70.2% of Zug residents, down from 77.9%.
Zug also boasts considerable linguistic diversity, with 17.5% of its population being multilingual, exceeding the national average. Languages such as Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, and Portuguese are among those spoken. Interestingly, a high percentage of English speakers in Switzerland, including those in Zug, are multilingual, underscoring the linguistic richness within the community.
This linguistic evolution in Zug not only highlights the growing influence of English in Switzerland but also reflects broader global trends of increasing English proficiency and its implications for cultural and professional exchanges.
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