Economisto coined the phrase back in 2010 as a humorous retort to someone paying lots of money for film processing. As social communities can do, they adopt such language and it becomes a commonly-understood saying.
If you’re Switzerlanded, it means you are subject to an event which seems to be unique and specific to Switzerland. Being charged high amounts for seemingly basic goods and services is the obvious usage but you can also conclude that the price of a loaf of bread being the same as it was 15 years ago as being another.
Being Switzerlanded could be when you lose your wallet and have it returned to you with contents intact. Being Switzerlanded could also be when you’re swamped by people not letting you get off the train or bus before they get on. Switzerlanded is also when you order something from an online vendor with whom you have no relationship and they send you the goods and a payment slip.
My experiences fall into these categories. In the 90s, I spent 6000 francs on a TV and DVD player and they were sent to me with the payment slip. I remember many occasions where I was not allowed to get off trams by those getting on – even when I was walking with crutches after breaking my leg. I’ve been Switzerlanded when filtering on my motorcycle…..a car beeps the horn at me because <shudder> filtering is illegal. I stopped and confirmed this to be the reason…..!
Heck, I’ve even been Switzerlanded at 6am when coming home from events like Street Parade and Fete des Vendanges – the street cleaners are out in force at that time to clean up the mess from the evening before.
Being Switzerlanded can suck – but it doesn’t have to!!
