amigs

Alemannic German

FWOTD – 8 February 2022

Alternative forms

• amigs (Zürich, St. Gallen, Aargau, Solothurn)
• aube (Bern)
• albe, ame, amed (Basel)
• albig (Graubünden, Glarus, Valais)
• albigs (Schwyz)
• alig (Uri)
• alle (Lucerne)

Etymology

From Middle High German allewëge (“always”, “in the past”), a compound of alle (“all”) +‎ wääge (“ways”). Doublet of allwääg, allwäg.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈamiɡ̊s/, /ˈamɪɡ̊s/

• Audio (Switzerland, Solothurn):

  (file)

Adverb

amigs

1. every time, each time, regularly

   (Bern) Ds isch aube no schwirig. ― It is difficult every time (one is in such a situation).

   • 1999 January 8, Andr้ฐ R. Mastel, alt.stupid‎^[1] (Usenet):

     Das giit amigs wieder än huufe Bsuech uf dr Internetsiitä! :o)

     This yields a lot of visitation on the website each time again. :o)

   • 2020 March 17, Johann Widmer, Barrabas: Und anderi Gschichte us em Züri Oberland‎^[2], epubli, →ISBN, →OCLC:

     Nach em Singe sind die Mane amigs no zämeghöcklet bime Glas Wii und ere Zigare oder eme Stumpe, händ schwiigend Rauchringli gmacht oder uf Zürioberländer Aart dischgeriert, das heisst mit wenige Wort wie nur mögli, siner Meinig Uusdruck gää.

     After singing, these men have regularly come together at a glass of wine and a cigarette or a cigar, silently creating smoke rings or discussing in Zürcher Oberland fashion, which means giving expression to one's opinion using as few words as possible.

2. (regional) earlier, in the past

   (Schwyz) Albigs hät mä's nüd so gmacht. ― In the past, one didn't do it like this.

3. (regional) always
   • (Prättigau) Georg Fient:

     Er ischt albig en Esel gsyn und iez im Alter nid gschyder woorden.

     He has always been a donkey and now at a higher age hasn't become smarter.

Usage notes

• In the first sense, it is often accompanied by no.

Further reading

• "«aube, ame, amigs»" at srf.ch
• "Was heisst eigentlich... «amigs»?" at tagesanzeiger.ch
• dialektwoerter.ch
• "Isch es äuä amig albig besser gsy? Äuää!" at idiotikon.ch
• " Von «aabändle» über «Aaheulig» bis «hüütze»" at tagblatt.ch
• “aube”, in Wörterbuch Berndeutsch-Deutsch (in German), berndeutsch.ch, 1999–2025
• “allwëg”, in Schweizerisches Idiotikon. Wörterbuch der schweizerdeutschen Sprache^[3] (in German), volume 15, 1999, column 855