
Austria is a landlocked Central European country with a population of almost nine million people. German is the official language of Austria and is spoken by 98% of the population. In addition to German, there are several other languages spoken in Austria, including Austro-Bavarian, Hungarian, Croatian, Slovenian, Turkish and Romanian. In this article, we will explore the different languages spoken in Austria and how they have influenced the country's culture and society.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Number of official languages | 1 |
Official language | German |
Number of languages spoken | 250 |
Number of languages with more than 10,000 speakers | 20 |
Largest minority language | Serbo-Croatian |
Second-largest minority language | Turkish |
What You'll Learn
German is the official language of Austria
Alemannic, i.e. Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic, the same dialect group as that spoken in Northern Switzerland (outside Basel) and parts of southern Alsace, France.
In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language. In some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language. Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian are recognised as official languages of autonomous population groups in some regions. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, spoken by more than 4% of the population. Turkish is the second-largest minority language, spoken by 2.3% of the population.
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Slovene is an official language in Carinthia
German is the official language of Austria, with almost all of the population speaking it. However, in the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language. In some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language.
Carinthia is a state in Austria, located in the south of the country. It is home to a diverse range of languages and cultures, including Slovene, which is spoken by a significant number of people in the region. The recognition of Slovene as an official language in Carinthia reflects the historical and cultural ties between Austria and Slovenia, as well as the large number of Slovene speakers in the area.
The use of Slovene as an official language in Carinthia is important for ensuring equal access to services and information for the Slovene-speaking population. It also helps to preserve and promote the Slovene language and culture within Austria. Slovene is used in various contexts in Carinthia, including in education, media, and official communications.
While German is the primary official language of Austria, the recognition of Slovene as an official language in Carinthia highlights the country's linguistic diversity and its commitment to accommodating the needs of its minority language communities. This recognition ensures that the rights and interests of Slovene speakers in Carinthia are protected and that they can fully participate in the social, economic, and political life of the region.
In addition to Slovene, other minority languages in Austria include Croatian, Hungarian, and various dialects of German, such as Austro-Bavarian and Alemannic. These languages are spoken in different regions of the country and reflect the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Austria.
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Hungarian and Croatian are official languages in some districts of Burgenland
German is the official language of Austria and is spoken by 97-98% of the population. However, in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian are recognised as official languages alongside German. In Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language. There are around 250 languages spoken throughout Austria, though many have very small populations of speakers. Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg, where Alemannic is the main dialect.
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Austria is home to almost nine million people
Austro-Bavarian is a group of Upper German languages that are spoken across the country, with the exception of the federal state of Vorarlberg and some areas of Tyrol's Reutte District. There are around seven million speakers of Austro-Bavarian in Austria. The main dialect in Vorarlberg is Alemannic, which is also spoken in Northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace, France.
In addition to German, several other languages are recognised as official languages in some regions of Austria. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language. In some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language. Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian are recognised as official languages of autonomous population groups in some regions.
About 250 languages are spoken throughout Austria, though many have very small populations of speakers. Only about 20 languages (apart from official languages) have more than 10,000 speakers. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, spoken by more than 4% of the population. Turkish is the second largest minority language, spoken by 2.3% of the population.
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There are around seven million speakers of Austro-Bavarian
German is the official language of Austria, with around 98% of the population speaking it. However, there are many other languages spoken in the country, including Austro-Bavarian, which has around seven million speakers. Austro-Bavarian is a group of Upper German languages that are spoken across the country, except for in the federal state of Vorarlberg and some areas of Tyrol's Reutte District. The variety of German spoken in Austria, Austrian German, is partially influenced by Austro-Bavarian.
Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg, where Alemannic is the main dialect. Alemannic, or Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is in the same group as the dialect spoken in Northern Switzerland (outside Basel) and parts of southern Alsace, France.
In addition to German and Austro-Bavarian, there are several other languages spoken in Austria. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language. In some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, spoken by more than 4% of the population. Turkish is the second-largest minority language, spoken by 2.3% of the population. In 2021, there were an estimated 18,800 Romanian speakers in Austria.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria has one official language: German.
Yes, in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language. Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian are recognised as official languages of autonomous population groups in some regions.
Almost all of Austria's population (97-98%) speaks German, making it a practical lingua franca.