Äuä

Äuä (pronounced [ˈæ̞wːæ̞ː], other possible spellings include äuää, äuuä, äuwä, ällwä) is a typical shibboleth of Bernese German.

Use

There are three different uses:

Modal particle

Within a declarative sentence, this word can be used as a German modal particle, connoting that the speaker is only assuming what he is telling, but still quite certain about it. This is very similar to the meaning of the German modal particle wohl.

Example:

• Si chunt äuä gly.

‘(I'm quite certain that) she is going to come soon.’

The modal particle is also used in the following sequences of modal particles: äuä scho, äuä de scho. Both sequences give more emphasis to the certainty of the speaker.

Pro-sentence

Like many German modal particles, this word can also be used as a pro-sentence (similar to English words like yes or no).

Originally, it was used as an affirmative response with similar connotations to the modal particle. However, this meaning is hardly ever used any more. It is almost exclusively used to give a negative answer connotating subjective disbelief. This meaning has developed from an ironic use.

Depending on the intonation, the meaning can vary from very strong disbelief to surprised slight disbelief.

Examples:

• Edmund Hillary isch als erschte ohni Suurstoff-Fläsche ufe Mount Everest. ― Äuä! Der Reinhold Messner isch der erscht gsy wo das het gmacht.

‘Edmund Hillary was the first to climb Mount Everest without auxiliary oxygen. ― No way! Reinhold Messner was the first to do that.

• Hesch ghört? AC/DC hei sech ufglöst! ― Äuä!?

‘Did you hear? AC/DC split up! ― No, really?

Trivia

Bernese comedian Massimo Rocchi used äuä as the title for one of his shows, which derives much of its comical effect from the bewilderment an outsider experiences (in this case, Italian-born Rocchi) when first confronted with the idiosyncrasies of Bernese German.

Sources

• Otto von Greyerz, Ruth Bietenhard: Berndeutsches Wörterbuch ISBN 3-305-00255-7