science

Mattenenglisch

Mattenenglisch is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mattenenglisch rather than just read about it. In short: Mattenenglisch (Bernese German: Mattenänglisch, lit. 'Matte English'), also Mattenberndeutsch (Matte-Bärndütsch), is a name for the Alemannic German varieties traditionally spoken in the Matte, the old working class neighbourhood of the Swiss city of Bern. It is used in two different senses: either for the traditional sociolect of that neighbourhood, or for a special kind of Pig Latin that was used there.

Key takeaways

Mattenenglisch belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Mattenenglisch to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Mattenenglisch from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mattenenglisch (Bernese German: Mattenänglisch, lit. 'Matte English'), also Mattenberndeutsch (Matte-Bärndütsch), is a name for the Alemannic German varieties traditionally spoken in the Matte, the old working class neighbourhood of the Swiss city of Bern. It is used in two different senses: either for the traditional sociolect of that neighbourhood, or for a special kind of Pig Latin that was used there. From the second half of the 20th century, since the older social stratification completely changed and the Matte ceased to be a working-class neighbourhood, both lects have fallen out of use. However, there are voluntary associations that cultivate Mattenenglisch.

Mattenenglisch sociolect The Mattenenglisch sociolect was the working class variety of the Bernese German dialect. It had a characteristic vocabulary that was partly influenced by varieties such as Rotwelsch, Jenisch or Yiddish, because people wanted to communicate in a way the police would not understand. While most Mattenenglisch words have fallen out of use, some have spread into common Bernese German usage, thus becoming shibboleths of Bernese German, for instance the words jiu 'yes', Modi 'girl' or Gieu 'boy'.

Mattenenglisch Pig Latin Until the mid 20th century, a special variety of Pig Latin was used by the kids in the Matte neighbourhood. Unlike in other varieties of Pig Latin, the first vowel of the word is completely substituted. The rules are as follows:

For words that begin with consonant sounds, move the initial consonant or consonant cluster to the end of the word, add ee and change the first vowel into i. Examples: Mueter 'mother' → Ieter-mee gib-ere 'give-her' → ibere-gee Schnure 'mouth' → Ire-schnee For words that begin with vowel sounds, add the syllable ee to the end of the word, or hee if the word ends in a vowel, and change the first vowel into i. Examples: Änglisch 'English' → Inglisch-ee Öpfu 'apple' → Ipfu-hee

External links Matteänglisch-Club Bärn (Bern Mattenenglisch Club – the site is in German and Bernese German) Mattenenglisch, an explanation with examples (in German).

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mattenenglisch

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mattenenglisch claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mattenenglisch before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mattenenglisch ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mattenenglisch

In research: Mattenenglisch appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mattenenglisch in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mattenenglisch is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Cant languages, City colloquials, Culture in Bern, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mattenenglisch outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mattenenglisch in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Mattenenglisch means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Mattenenglisch out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mattenenglisch in simple terms?

Why does Mattenenglisch matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mattenenglisch?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mattenenglisch.