# What's a person from Switzerland called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2006, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845 "2006-06-23T08:46:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/21 "2006-06-23T17:10:11Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] An Englishman and a Chinaman, respectively. [/QUOTE] Well, Walter Sobchak would have you know that “Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature”. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/22 "2006-06-23T17:14:27Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s a person from Switzerland called? A Helvetian. Or Helvetii, collectively. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/23 "2006-06-23T17:15:10Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] Well, Walter Sobchak would have you know that “Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature”. [/QUOTE] I don’t know who Walter Sobchak is, but what does he want me to call them? And somebody from Togo is a Togolese ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/24 "2006-06-23T17:16:53Z")
You are correct, UncleBeer, but: the plural of Helvetian would be Helvetians (Helvetii would be the latin plural of Helvetius); in addition, almost no one uses Helvetian in English (though in swiss french newspapers, for example, the noun and adjective Helvète is often used.) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/25 "2006-06-23T17:17:22Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] An Englishman and a Chinaman, respectively. [/QUOTE] I’m rather surprised that, given its huge population, the entire nation of China consists entirely of males. That England is all-male doesn’t surprise me one bit, however. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/26 "2006-06-23T17:19:05Z")
Come to think of it, I don’t remember anyone on the SDMB giving their location as Switzerland, or anyplace within it, while most other countries are well represented. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/27 "2006-06-23T17:20:17Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] And if you want to see what a typical Swiss looks like, take a gander here: [http://www.myswitzerland.com/html/movies/wm/](http://www.myswitzerland.com/html/movies/wm/) (the ladies especially will be interested - yes, Swiss men will be glad to welcome you to their country - don’t worry, it’s work safe. I should also mention that I’m Swiss, and, therefore, of course look like the guys in those pictures) [/QUOTE] oops, didn’t see this. But judging by your location, you don’t live there anymore? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/28 "2006-06-23T17:22:11Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] I don’t know who Walter Sobchak is, but what does he want me to call them? [/QUOTE] Walter Sobchak = John Goodman’s character in _The Big Lebowski_. According to that source, you should also be calling White Russians “Caucasians.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/29 "2006-06-23T17:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] But judging by your location, you don’t live there anymore? [/QUOTE] Nope. I remember a few people from Switzerland in the past, but the member names elude me right now. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/30 "2006-06-23T17:28:02Z")
Sweed? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/31 "2006-06-23T17:32:57Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Walter Sobchak = John Goodman’s character in _The Big Lebowski_. According to that source, you should also be calling White Russians “Caucasians.” 😉 [/QUOTE] Nice! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/32 "2006-06-23T17:34:18Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Sweed? [/QUOTE] As noted in the OP, That is reserved for those native to Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/33 "2006-06-23T17:35:51Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] **No.** [/QUOTE] :smack: I knew it was (and still is presumably) in Austria. Really! I knew that. :smack: :smack: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/34 "2006-06-23T17:38:42Z")
[QUOTE=friedo] A person from Sweden is a Swede, a person from Finland is a Finn. What’s a person from Switzerland? [/QUOTE] A neuticle. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/35 "2006-06-23T17:49:35Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] You are correct, UncleBeer, but: the plural of Helvetian would be Helvetians (Helvetii would be the latin plural of Helvetius); in addition, almost no one uses Helvetian in English (though in swiss french newspapers, for example, the noun and adjective Helvète is often used.) [/QUOTE] Curious. Hel·ve·tian - _adjective_ 1. Of or relating to Helvetia or the **Helvetii**. 2. Swiss. Hel·ve·tian - _noun_ 1.One of the Helvetii. 2.A Swiss. [From Latin Helvetius.] _Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition_ ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/36 "2006-06-23T17:50:56Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] Wasn’t Vienna in Switzerland at one time? Seems like Vienna’s responsible for more than little sausages. [/QUOTE] No, Vienna was never in Switzerland. And yes, Vienna’s responsible for A WHOLE LOT more than little sausages. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/37 "2006-06-23T17:56:35Z")
Well, UncleBeer, maybe I was wrong! I should have checked a source myself. I personally would write Helvetians, but what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/38 "2006-06-23T18:18:58Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] And yes, Vienna’s responsible for A WHOLE LOT more than little sausages. [/QUOTE] Indeed. They have big sausages, as well. [http://www.viennabeef.com/products/category.asp?CATEGORY\_ID=2](http://www.viennabeef.com/products/category.asp?CATEGORY_ID=2) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/39 "2006-06-23T18:37:14Z")
Ugh! That site has a picture of a bagel dog. The goggles… ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845/40 "2006-06-23T19:07:25Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] **No.** Swiss is the correct term for a swiss person: in German Schweitzer, in french Suisse, in Italian Svizzero. [/QUOTE] Except in Québec. When you talk about _un suisse_ here, [this](http://director.hu.mtu.edu/mtublogs/mariya/archives/chipmunk.jpg) is you are most likely talking about 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-person-from-switzerland-called/361845.md?page=3)