German In Austria: Same Language, Different Country?

Austria and Germany share a rich cultural and historical heritage, but their languages have some surprising differences. German is the official language of Austria, and Austrian German is the standardised variation of German spoken in the country. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from German in vocabulary and grammar. Austrians and Germans can easily understand each other, but some words and phrases are unique to Austrian German, and regional dialects differ across the two countries.

Austrian German is the official language of Austria

Austrian German has its roots in the mid-18th century when compulsory schooling and administrative reforms were introduced in the multilingual Habsburg Empire. The written standard at the time was heavily influenced by the Bavarian and Alemannic dialects of Austria. However, instead of creating a new standard based on Southern German dialects, the Austrian Empire adopted the standardised chancellery language of Saxony.

Austrian German has some distinct features that set it apart from Standard German. It has unique vocabulary, such as "Marillen" for apricots and "Sackerl" for a small bag, and certain verbs are conjugated differently. For example, Austrians would say "ich bin gesessen" (I am sat) instead of the German standard "ich habe gesessen" (I have sat). Additionally, Austrian German tends to be softer and more melodic in pronunciation, with certain vowels sounding different from Standard German.

In less formal situations, Austrians use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written. However, Austrian German is the variation used in the media and other formal situations, giving it the highest sociolinguistic prestige locally. It is also the language used in official governmental communications and schools, as defined by the Österreichisches Wörterbuch ("Austrian Dictionary").

Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German, and most German speakers can understand and be understood by Austrians without much difficulty. However, there are some regional differences and unique terms in each country that can cause confusion. For example, Austrians might be confused by the German word "Plätzchen" (Christmas cookies) or "Pfannkuchen" (pancakes), while Germans might not recognise the Austrian words "Palatschinken" (pancakes) or "Marillenmarmelade" (apricot jam).

Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect

Austrian German is the official language of Austria and differs from German as it is spoken in Germany. It is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is a major group of Upper German varieties.

Austro-Bavarian is also a High German language, but it is not the same as Standard German. Austro-Bavarian and Standard German have influenced each other, and most speakers of Austro-Bavarian also speak Standard German. The difference between the two is larger than the difference between Danish and some varieties of Norwegian or between Czech and Slovak.

Austro-Bavarian is made up of Central Bavarian, Southern Bavarian, and Northern Bavarian variants. In Austria, all states except Vorarlberg speak a Bavarian dialect or a variant. Seven million Austrians speak a central or southern Bavarian dialect or a colloquial language influenced by these dialects.

Austro-Bavarian has its origins in the Germanic tribe known as the Bavarii, who established a tribal duchy covering much of what is today Bavaria and some of Austria in the early Middle Ages. The name "Bavarian" is derived from the name of this tribe and their tribal dialect.

In less formal situations, Austrians use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written. The Alemannic dialect is spoken in Vorarlberg and parts of Tyrol.

Austro-Bavarian differs greatly from Standard German, making it difficult for German speakers from other regions to understand native Austrian speakers. However, educated Bavarians and Austrians can usually read, write, and understand Standard German.

German speakers from outside Austria can understand Austrian German

German is the official language of Austria, and nearly all Austrians speak it. However, Austrian German differs from German as it is spoken in Germany. It is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and other dialects, including Bavarian and Alemannic, which are used in informal situations.

However, it is important to note that there are distinct dialects across Austria, and some may be harder for non-Austrian German speakers to understand. For example, the Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects of Tyrol and the dialects of the deeper valleys of the Tyrol may be more challenging to understand for non-Austrian German speakers.

Additionally, there are special written forms of Austrian German used in official government documents, known as Austrian chancellery language (Österreichische Kanzleisprache). This form of the language is very traditional and complex, and even native speakers may find it difficult to understand due to its specialised vocabulary.

Overall, while German speakers from outside Austria can understand Austrian German, particularly the standardised variation, they may encounter some challenges with certain dialects and the specialised language used in official government documents.

Austrian German has a softer pronunciation and a melodic lilt

Austrian German, or simply "Austrian", is the variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. It is the official language of Austria, with roughly 97% to 98% of people in the country speaking it, and a little over 93% calling it their mother tongue. It is used in official publications and announcements, the media, and public schools.

In their day-to-day lives, most Austrians speak their regional Austrian German dialects, which differ from mainstream Austrian German. Some native Austrians report that it is difficult to understand Austrian dialects from other regions. For example, people from Vienna might struggle to understand Tyroleans, who live on the other side of the country.

Most Austrians speak a Bavarian dialect, which is part of the High German group of dialects. Bavarian speakers tend to soften, drop, or swallow final consonants. Tight vowel sounds often get broader in Bavarian. Unlike Standard German, Bavarian dialects use double negatives such as "des hob i no nia ned g’mocht" (I have yet never not done that).

Alemannic, or Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg. To most German speakers, it is very difficult to understand. In Alemannic, the Standard German "gut" (good) becomes "guat", and "bisschen" (little bit) becomes "bitzle".

The Viennese dialect of greater Vienna also has its own special pronunciations and slang words, but it's fading over time. Locally, Wien (Vienna) is known as "Wean". Like the dialects of other eastern Austrian regions, Viennese is based largely upon the Bavarian dialect family. In Viennese, "ei" is pronounced "a" or "ah". Standard German "ich weiß" (I know) sounds like "i waß" or "ee vahs" in the dialects of Vienna. Final consonants can get dropped, with "Schule" (school) pronounced as "Schui" or "shoo-ee".

The Austrian state of Styria is in the southeast of the country, bordering Slovenia. About a million Austrians, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, speak the Steiermark (Styrian) dialect. In this dialect, "ja" (yes) becomes "jou" (similar to "yoh" in English), and "Apfel" (apple) becomes "Oupfel".

Austrian German has different verb conjugations to Standard German

German is the official language of Austria, with roughly 97% to 98% of people in the country speaking it and just over 93% calling it their mother tongue. Austrian German, or Austrian Standard German, is the variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. It is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from the German spoken in Germany.

Austrian German has distinct verb conjugations from Standard German. German verb conjugation is the process of making slight changes to the end of German verb stems or roots to reflect person, number, voice, tense, and mood. There are three types of verbs in German: weak or regular verbs, strong or irregular verbs, and mixed verbs. Weak verbs follow standard conjugation rules, while strong verbs have their own set of rules and do not fit into a specific set of rules or formulas. Mixed verbs are primarily regular but can be irregular in certain tenses.

In Austrian German, verbs that express a state or movement tend to use "sein" as the auxiliary verb in the perfect, such as "sitzen" (to sit), "liegen" (to lie), and "schlafen" (to sleep). This differs from Standard German, where the auxiliary verb for these verbs would be "haben". Additionally, in Austria, the preterite (simple past) is rarely used, especially in spoken language, with some exceptions for modal verbs.

Furthermore, Austrian German has its own set of official terms that differ from their usage in most parts of Germany. For example, Austrians use "Jänner" for January instead of "Januar," "Feber" or "Februar" for February, and "Stiege" for stairs instead of "Treppen." These differences in vocabulary and verb conjugation patterns between Austrian German and Standard German make them distinct from each other.

Frequently asked questions