parser-error

Hello pg-cracks,

I´m connecting remote to a pgsql server and get a successful login to the
specified database xy.
I can do the basic queries BUT some of the meta-commandos don´t work.
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Examples:
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#input 1:
>>xy=> \d
#to get an overview on the tables in db xy

#server response:
>>ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "."
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 #similiar with input 2:
>>xy=> \l
#to get an overview on databases on the pgsql-server
#server response:
ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "("
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Oddly enough, the meta-commands \q and \? do work.
Did anybody stumble about this problem or something similiarly and has an idea
how to fix it?

best regards
Ralf