Walser (or Walserdytsch) is a highest-Alemannic dialect spoken in parts of Switzerland, and in a few communities of Italy, Liechtenstein, and Austria.

It is so called because it is spoken in the German part of the Canton of Wallis (in French: Valais). In the Middle Ages, they spread south, west and east (approximately between the 12th and 13th centuries). Walser is thus a contraction of Walliser. Some settlements that have been isolated within Romance regions have preserved a very archaic language. Settlements in German regions have linguistically assimilated to their neighbours, but the language is still similar to the one spoken in the Wallis.

The Walser German is difficult to understand for other Swiss people (called Üsserschwyzer 'outer Swiss' by the Walsers). This is because in the isolated valleys of the high mountains, the Walser German has conserved many archaisms. The dialect of the Lötschental, for instance, has preserved the three distinct classes of weak verbs until the beginning of the 20th century. The Walser German have also linguistical innovations, e.g. the plural Tannu - Tanna (fir - firs) which is also found in the other highest-Alemannic dialects.

In Switzerland, the Walser German is mainly spoken in the canton of Wallis. Additionally, it is spoken in:

Bosco Gurin, in Canton Ticino; and the following communities in Graubünden (Grisons): Obersaxen; Valsertal (Vals, St. Martin); Safiental (Valendas, Versam, Tenna, Safien); Rheinwald (Medels, Nufenen, Splügen, Sufers, Hinterrhein, Avers); Schanfigg (Arosa, Langwies); Albula (Mutten, Schmitten, Wiesen); Landquart (Davos, Klosters, Furna, Says, St. Antönien, Valzeina).

In Italy, it is currently spoken in nine communities (and was formerly spoken in four others). These are: Gressoney-La Trinité, Gressoney-Saint Jean, Issime, Gaby (Val Lesa or Lys Valley, in Aosta province); Formazza/Pomatt, Macugnaga (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province); Alagna Valsesia, Rima San Giuseppe, Rimella (Sesia Valley or Valsesia)(Vercelli province). (The language is called Titsch in Gressoney-La Trinité, Gressoney-Saint Jean, Alagna Valsesia, Formazza/Pomatt, Macugnaga; Töitschu in Issime; Tittschu in Rimella.)

In Liechtenstein, it is spoken in one community: Triesenberg, including Saminatal and Malbun.

In Austria, it is spoken in 14 communities: Grosses Walsertal (Blons, Fontanella, Raggal, St. Gerold, Sonntag, Thüringerberg), Kleinwalsertal (Mittelberg), Brandnertal (Brand), Montafon (Silbertal), Reintal (Laterns), Tannberg (Schröcken, Lech, Warth), all in Vorarlberg; and in Paznauntal (Galtür), in Tyrol.

Historically, the Walser are presumed to be descended from an Alemannic-speaking population that first settled the upper Wallis Canton, coming from the Berner Oberland, and then spread further in a number of directions, following high-mountain migration routes. The tribal nature of their society has led some to suggest that the Walser people are descended from a pre-Roman (Celtic?) tribe of Switzerland that, after resisting Romanization for centuries, was belatedly Germanized, linguistically if not necessarily ethnically.

External links

• International Association of Walser (http://www.wir-walser.ch/english/)
• some sound samples (http://www.dialekt.ch/mp3/wallis.htm)