Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of almost nine million people. While there is no language called Austrian, the official language of the country is Austrian German, which is mutually intelligible with Standard German. German is the lingua franca and de facto first language of Austria, with 97-98% of the population speaking it and most learning it as a mother tongue. Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, the main dialect spoken outside Vorarlberg and the unofficial native language of Austria. In Vorarlberg, Alemannic is the main dialect spoken, which is also an unofficial language of Austria. In addition to German, Austria also recognises several minority languages, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Official Language | Austrian German |
Other Names | Austrian, Austrian German |
Number of Speakers | 97% to 98% of the population |
Lingua Franca | German |
De Facto First Language | German |
Dialects | Austro-Bavarian, Alemannic |
Minority Languages | Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign Language, Turkish, Serbian, Bosnian, Italian, French, English |
What You'll Learn
German is the official language
Austrian German is distinct from Standard German, with differences in vocabulary and accent. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg. Austro-Bavarian is the de facto national language of Austria and is the first language of approximately 8.3 million Austrians. It differs greatly from Standard German and is very difficult for German speakers from other regions to understand.
Alemannic, or Swiss German, is the main dialect in Vorarlberg and is spoken by around 300,000 people. It is also used in some parts of western Tyrol. This dialect is very difficult for German speakers to understand.
Austria has a rich linguistic history and is home to a unique mixture of languages and dialects. While German is the official language, the country also recognises several minority languages, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language.
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Austrian German is distinct from German German
Vocabulary Differences
There are many official terms that differ in Austrian German from their usage in most parts of Germany. For example, Austrians say Jänner instead of Januar for January, Feber instead of Februar for February, and heuer instead of dieses Jahr for this year. There are also differences in food terminology. For example, Austrians say Erdapfel for potato, whereas in Germany, the word is Kartoffel.
Grammatical Differences
There are also minor grammatical differences between Austrian German and Standard German. For example, in Austrian German, the perfect tense sometimes uses sein ("to be"), instead of haben ("to have") in Standard German. In addition, the preterite (simple past) is very rarely used in Austrian German, especially in spoken language, with the exception of some modal verbs (ich sollte, ich wollte).
Accent and Melody
Austrian German is generally softer and more melodic than Standard German. To speak Austrian German, just make everything sound cute!
Dialects
Austrians use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects in informal situations, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written in Austria. The main dialect outside Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, and the main dialect in Vorarlberg is Alemannic. The Alemannic dialect is very difficult for German speakers to understand.
Diminutive Form
The diminutive form is also different in Austrian German. Austrians add -el and -erl to the end of words instead of -chen or -lein.
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Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect
Austro-Bavarian is made up of several regional dialects, with distinct variations in the north and south of the country. In the north-eastern parts of Austria, including the capital city of Vienna, people speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects. In the southern parts, Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects are spoken. These dialects differ significantly from Standard German, making it challenging for German speakers from other regions to understand.
Austro-Bavarian has no official written orthography, but literary efforts, particularly in poems, attempt to capture the pronunciation in the spelling. Certain phrases and words are unique to specific regions of Austria and Bavaria and are rarely used in Standard German. For example, "Griaß God" ("greet God"), meaning "may God greet you," is used as a greeting, and "Servus/Servas" ("at your service") is another common greeting phrase.
The variety of German spoken in Austria, known as Austrian German, is influenced by Austro-Bavarian. Austrian German differs from Standard German in accent and vocabulary and is considered a standalone version of the language. It is the official language of Austria and is used in education, media, and administrative communications.
In summary, Austro-Bavarian is the predominant dialect in Austria, with around seven to eight million speakers across the country. It consists of multiple dialects that vary by region and significantly differ from Standard German. Austrian German, the official language influenced by Austro-Bavarian, is also widely spoken and understood by nearly all Austrians.
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Alemannic is the dialect in Vorarlberg
Austria's official language is German, which is also the lingua franca and de facto first language. However, the country is home to several dialects and minority languages. One of these dialects is Alemannic, which is the main dialect in the state of Vorarlberg.
Alemannic is a group of High German dialects, deriving its name from the ancient Germanic tribal confederation known as the Alemanni, meaning "all men". Vorarlberg is the only Austrian state where Alemannic is spoken, with the dialect also spoken in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, France, Italy, the United States, and Venezuela.
In Vorarlberg, a form of High Alemannic is spoken around the Rheintal. High Alemannic is a branch of Alemannic, and it is characterised by the completion of the High German consonant shift. This shift is evident in the word "chalt" meaning "cold" in High Alemannic, compared to "kalt" in Low Alemannic and standard German.
The Alemannic dialects vary significantly from region to region, with distinct phonological, grammatical, and vocabulary differences. As a result, Alemannic can be very difficult for German speakers from different regions to understand. In Vorarlberg, the dialect is influenced by the variety spoken in Northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace, France.
Alemannic is spoken by about 300,000 people in Vorarlberg, and it is quite distinct from standard German. While standard German is the official written language used for communication, signage, and education in Austria, the prevalence of dialects like Alemannic showcases the country's rich linguistic diversity.
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Minority languages include Turkish, Slovenian and Hungarian
Austria is a country with a rich cultural and linguistic heritage. While German is the official language of Austria, the country is home to a variety of regional dialects and minority languages that reflect its diverse history and population.
Turkish is the second-largest minority language in Austria, with 2.3% of the population speaking it. This is almost identical to the situation in Germany. Turkish was brought to the country by guest workers in the 1960s and 1970s, and their descendants continue to speak it as a first or second language. Turkish is a member of the Turkic language family and has a vowel harmony system, where a word's vowels harmonise to be either front or back vowels. The language also has a relatively simple consonant system compared to German. Turkish is agglutinative, meaning that it forms words by adding suffixes to a root, and it uses a subject-object-verb word order. Turkish vocabulary is primarily of Turkic origin, with significant influence from Arabic, Persian, and French.
Slovenian is spoken by the Slovenian minority in Austria, primarily in the southern state of Carinthia and parts of Styria. The community has a long history in the region, dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is a South Slavic language, closely related to Croatian and Serbian, with its own distinct characteristics. Slovenian has a vowel system with both short and long vowels, as well as a range of consonants typical of Slavic languages, including palatalised sounds and a distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants. Slovenian grammar includes the use of six cases for different types of words and a rich system of verb conjugation that indicates tense, mood, and aspect. Slovenian vocabulary is mainly Slavic in origin, with some loanwords from German, Italian, and Hungarian.
Hungarian is spoken by the Hungarian minority in Austria, primarily in Burgenland, near the border with Hungary. The Hungarian community has been present in Austria for centuries, particularly when Burgenland was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Hungarian is a Uralic language, distinct from the Indo-European languages spoken in Austria. It has a complex grammatical structure, with extensive use of agglutination (adding suffixes to words) and vowel harmony. Hungarian has a vowel system with both short and long vowels and a rich set of consonants, including several sounds not found in German, such as the palatalised "ty" and "gy". Hungarian grammar uses a system of 18 grammatical cases to indicate relationships between words, and it relies on word order and suffixes to convey meaning. Hungarian vocabulary is mainly of Uralic origin but has borrowed words from German, Latin, Slavic languages, and Turkish.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there is no language called Austrian. The official language of Austria is German, which differs from the German spoken in Germany as it is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect.
Austrian German is the official language of Austria. It is used in education, media, and administration.
German is the lingua franca and de facto first language of Austria. Almost all Austrians learn and speak German.
Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian are the two other major unofficial languages of Austria. Alemannic is mostly spoken in the western state of Vorarlberg and has Swiss-German influences. Austro-Bavarian is a collection of dialects with distinct branches spoken in the northern and southern parts of the country.
Yes, several minority languages are spoken in Austria, including Turkish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, and Romani.