As another user remarked, it might have to do with the stark variance of dialects even across neighbouring settlements - deciding on a canonical "dialect" is im

As another user remarked, it might have to do with the stark variance of dialects even across neighbouring settlements - deciding on a canonical "dialect" is impossible. Yet i also have to add, the contrast is not comparable with Dutch/German. As a native Austrian-German speaker i can understand swiss German quite okay after a little while, it's still German at it's base - with Dutch i can relate and get the gist, but I'll struggle. Some dialects are harder to understand, just like some dialects in Austria are riddled with odd words that are specific to the region, but the grammar is the same and the origin of idiosyncratic words is largely understandable.