Austrian: A Language Or A Dialect Of German?

There is no language called Austrian, but there is Austrian German. Austrian German is the official language of Austria and is used in education, media, and administrative communications. It is mutually intelligible with Standard German, though there are some differences in terms of accent and vocabulary. German is the main second language of Austria, though most people in the country speak it. The primary native language of Austria is Austro-Bavarian, which is a collection of dialects native to the region.

Austrian German is the official language of Austria

Austrian German, or simply Austrian, is the official language of Austria. It is a variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. It is also referred to as Austrian Standard German (ASG) or Standard Austrian German. Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German, though there are some differences in accent and vocabulary.

Austrian German has its roots in the mid-18th century, when Empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II introduced compulsory schooling in 1774 and implemented several administrative reforms in their multilingual Habsburg Empire. The written standard at the time, Oberdeutsche Schreibsprache (Upper German written language), was heavily influenced by the Bavarian and Alemannic dialects of Austria. However, Austrian German was standardised in 1951 with the publication of the Österreichisches Wörterbuch ("Austrian Dictionary"). This dictionary prescribes the spelling rules that define the official language.

Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian are the two other major unofficial languages of Austria. Alemannic, a group of Upper German dialects, is mostly spoken in the western state of Vorarlberg and has more German Swiss influences. It is spoken by about 300,000 people. Austro-Bavarian, on the other hand, is the primary native language of Austria outside of Vorarlberg. It has approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria and differs significantly from Standard German.

German is the main second language of Austria

There is no language called Austrian. However, Austrian German, also known as Austrian Standard German (ASG) or Standard Austrian German, is the official language of Austria. It is a variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. It is the de facto first language of Austria and is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. Austrian German is distinct from the German spoken in Germany and Switzerland.

Austrian German has its origins in the mid-18th century when Empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II introduced compulsory schooling and several reforms of administration in their multilingual Habsburg Empire. The standard variety of Austrian German was influenced by the Bavarian and Alemannic dialects of Austria. Austrian German was standardized with the publishing of the Österreichisches Wörterbuch in 1951, which prescribes spelling rules that define the official language.

In addition to Austrian German, several other languages are spoken in Austria, including various dialects and minority languages. The main dialect outside Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, which has about 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The northeastern parts of Austria, including Vienna, speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects. Alemannic, or Swiss German, is the main dialect in Vorarlberg and is spoken by about 300,000 people.

Austria also recognizes several minority languages, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romani, and sign language. These languages have official status in certain regions of Austria, such as in the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, where Slovene is considered an official language alongside German.

Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian are the two other major unofficial languages

While German is the official language of Austria, there are several other unofficial languages spoken in the country. Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian are the two other major unofficial languages.

Alemannic, or rarely Alemannish, is a group of High German dialects that developed in the southwestern part of the Germanic speech area. The name derives from the ancient Germanic tribal confederation known as the Alemanni, meaning "all men". Approximately 10 million people speak Alemannic dialects across several countries, including Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the United States, and Venezuela. In Austria, Alemannic is the main dialect in the state of Vorarlberg and some parts of Tyrol. It is very different from Standard German, making it difficult for German speakers to understand.

Austro-Bavarian, also known as Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties. They are called "upper" because they are spoken in Switzerland, Austria, and southern Germany, which are mountainous regions. Austro-Bavarian is a High German language, but it is not the same as Standard German, although the two have influenced each other. The vast majority of Austro-Bavarian speakers also speak Standard German. Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg and is the main native language of Austria. It has approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. Austro-Bavarian has several dialects, including Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian, and Northern Bavarian.

Austria has several minority languages

Austrian German is the national language of Austria and is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. However, Austria is also home to several minority languages, some of which have official status. According to the European Commission, Austria's recognised minority languages include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language.

In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language, while in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian are recognised as official languages alongside German. The Austrian Federal Constitution calls for the respect and promotion of ethnic groups resident in Austria, and the Ethnic Group Act of 1976 established a special set of rights for Austrian Croats, Czechs, Hungarians, Romani, Slovaks, and Slovenes.

The variety of German used in Austria, known as Austrian German, is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg. In less formal situations, Austrians use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written. Alemannic, or Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg and parts of western Tyrol. This dialect is very difficult for most German speakers to understand.

The main native language of Austria outside of Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, with approximately 8.3 million speakers in the country. The northeastern parts of Austria, including Vienna, speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects. Austro-Bavarian differs significantly from Standard German, making it challenging for German speakers from other regions to understand.

English is the most spoken foreign language in Austria

There is no language called Austrian. The official language of Austria is German, which is also the country's lingua franca and the de facto first language. Austrian German, also known as Austrian Standard German, is a variety of Standard German that is written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. It is distinct from the German spoken in Germany and Switzerland, with differences in vocabulary and grammar.

In addition to German, Austria has several other native languages and dialects. The main native language outside the western state of Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, which has approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The northeastern parts of Austria, including the capital Vienna, speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects. Austro-Bavarian differs significantly from Standard German, making it difficult for German speakers from other regions to understand.

Alemannic, or Swiss German, is the main dialect in Vorarlberg and is spoken by about 300,000 people. It is also spoken in parts of western Tyrol, with cultural and dialectal affinities to the German Swiss to the west and the Swabians in Germany to the north. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is very difficult for most German speakers to understand.

Austria also recognizes several minority languages, some of which have official status in certain regions. These include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romani, and sign language. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language, spoken by more than 4% of the population, followed by Turkish, spoken by 2.3%.

While English is not an official language in Austria, it is widely spoken and understood. Approximately 40% of Austrians speak English, making it the second most spoken language in the country after German. English is the most spoken foreign language in Austria, followed by French, which is spoken by about 7% of the population.

Frequently asked questions