Talk:Röstigraben

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Nice and informative article. Regarding barriers along the language borders, I once encountered the word 'Polentagraben' to describe the rift between the Italian speaking part and the rest of Switzerland (particularly the German speaking majority). The google count is pretty unimpressive (339 counts). Does anyone know where this word was coined and how commonly it's used? Signed: [sluzzelin]

I'm Swiss. In my experience, Polentagraben is rather uncommon and I don't know where the word was coined; anyway, the expression Graben (rift), whilst alluding to the actual geographical Saane rift in Röstigraben, seems strangely out of place in Polentagraben, for the border between the Italian speaking part of Switzerland and the rest is formed by the opposite - high mountains. Gestumblindi 20:44, 17 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The term polentagraben has be created by imitation of the more common term röstigraben. It refers not only to the canton ticino, but all the italian speaking region (south of the alps).(2A02:120B:2C17:5550:3C8E:1121:7C51:DD75 (talk) 14:24, 28 June 2017 (UTC))[reply]

"Rösti rift" is perhaps not the best translation, "Graben" corresponds to more than one English word, Rift in English implies something geological. I suggest:

• Rösti trench (as in a Military trench).
• Rösti ditch.
• Rösti moat.

TiffaF 09:16, 24 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

No, I think that "rift" is quite the right translation here - that it "implies something geological" is in my opinion appropriate, for the expression plays on the actual, geological Saane rift, and "rift" may be used in a metaphorical way in English, too. A "moat" (a trench used as means of defense, encircling e.g. a castle or city) seems to be unfitting to me - it would evocate people isolating themselves from the outside world which isn't what "Röstigraben" is about. For similar reasons, "trench" and "ditch" seem to be too specific and not really fit to express the perceived cultural and political rift between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. Gestumblindi 17:13, 2 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• RÖSTIGRABEN–MYTH OR REALITY? CHALLENGES OF MULTICULTURALISM IN SWITZERLAND

--Stone (talk) 12:37, 11 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure it's correct to say that in recent years differences have tended to fade in political matters. During the last 3-4 years there has been marked differences in results of referendums particularly on social issues and issues of state expenditures, etc. This year, the cultural divide between the Suisse romande and the Suisse alémanique has never been so obvious as with the now famous referendum on mass immigration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_immigration_referendum,_2014 --Lubiesque (talk) 21:09, 28 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]