Lyla Lindsey
Austria's official language is German, with nearly all Austrians speaking it as their first language. However, Austrian German is a version of German that is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the unofficial native language of Austria. The country's linguistic history is tied to its political history, having been part of the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria, and later sharing a language border with Germany. Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, with German dialects in the country sharing characteristics with those in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as Eastern Switzerland.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official language | German |
| Lingua franca | German |
| De facto first language | German |
| Number of German speakers | 97% to 98% |
| Number of people who call German their mother tongue | A little over 93% |
| Variety of German used | Austrian German |
| Influence on Austrian German | Austro-Bavarian |
| Number of Alemannic speakers | 300,000 |
| Number of Austro-Bavarian speakers | 8.3 million |
| Minority languages | Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign language, Turkish, Italian, Serbian, Bosnian, Polish, Croatian, Yiddish |
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What You'll Learn
German is the official language of Austria
The Austro-Bavarian dialect is a group of Upper German languages that are spoken across Austria, except for the federal state of Vorarlberg and some areas of Tyrol's Reutte District. In these locations, residents speak Alemannic, a dialect with German-Swiss influences. Austro-Bavarian is made up of distinct dialects spoken in the northern and southern parts of the country. In Eastern Austria, there is a smooth transition between dialect and standard language, and even in official situations, the dialect is often used.
Alemannic is a significant unofficial language of Austria, with around 300,000 speakers. It is mostly spoken in the western state of Vorarlberg and has notable German-Swiss influences. To most German speakers, it is very difficult to understand. Alemannic covers a group of Upper German dialects and its written form dates back at least to the sixth century.
In addition to German, Austria is home to several minority languages, including Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Turkish, Czech, Slovak, and Romani. According to the European Commission, Hungarian is a significant unofficial language of Austria due to the historical ties between the two countries. Austria's linguistic history is tied to its political history, having been part of the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria.
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Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian
Austrian German is the official language of Austria, and it is used by the government, in the media, and in educational institutions across the country. However, Austrian German is distinct from Standard German in its vocabulary and accent, and it is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, which is the unofficial native language of Austria. Austro-Bavarian is a group of Upper German dialects spoken in the south-east of the German language area, including the German state of Bavaria, most of Austria, and South Tyrol in Italy.
Austrian German and Austro-Bavarian have influenced each other over the centuries, but they are not the same language. While the majority of Austrians speak both tongues, translation services are still required for documents such as marketing materials and legal paperwork. Austro-Bavarian has no official orthography, but literary efforts have been made, especially in poetry, to depict the sound of the pronunciation in the spelling. For example, the phrase "Griaß God" ("greet God"), meaning "may God greet you", is used as a greeting in Austro-Bavarian. Other phrases, such as "Pfiat di / Pfiat eich (euch)" ("watch over you [God]"), meaning "goodbye", are strictly dialectal and are rarely used in Standard German.
Bavarian differs significantly from Standard German in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. While educated Bavarians and Austrians can usually read, write, and understand Standard German, they may have limited opportunity to speak it, especially in rural areas. In these regions, Standard German is typically restricted to written communication and the media. The difference between Bavarian and Standard German is greater than the difference between Danish and some varieties of Norwegian or between Czech and Slovak.
The reason that Bavarian is considered a dialect of German rather than a separate language is due to several factors, including the perception of its speakers, the lack of standardization, and the traditional use of Standard German as a roofing language. Additionally, the relative closeness of Bavarian to German does not justify it being viewed as an abstand language. Furthermore, no country has applied for Bavarian to be included in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Historically, Austria's linguistic history is tied to its political history. After losing World War I, Austria lost all non-German speaking regions, as well as some German-speaking regions. Austria became independent from Germany, and German was only one of the languages of the Habsburg, later Austro-Hungarian, empire. The variety of dialects within the empire made it challenging to establish a single standard language. Additionally, Austria's introduction of compulsory education in 1774 under Maria Theresia adopted a Middle German standard, further influencing the development of Austrian German.
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Alemannic is a dialect spoken in Vorarlberg
The history of the language spoken in Austria is tied to its political history, as is the case with many countries. German is the official language of Austria and is spoken by 98% of the population, making it the country's lingua franca. However, the variety of German used in Austria, known as Austrian German, is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, which is considered the unofficial native language of the country.
Alemannic, also known as Swiss German, is a group of Upper German dialects with notable Swiss influences. It is spoken by about 300,000 people in Austria and has a total of approximately 10 million speakers worldwide. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is also spoken in Northern Switzerland (outside Basel) and parts of Southern Alsace, France.
The written form of Alemannic dates back to at least the sixth century, as evidenced by Elder Futhark inscriptions. However, from the 17th century onwards, written Alemannic was gradually displaced by Standard German. As a result, there is no binding orthographical standard for writing modern Alemannic, and the orthographies used often compromise between a precise phonological notation and proximity to Standard German orthography.
Alemannic dialects differ from Standard High German in phonology, grammar, and vocabulary. For example, in Alemannic, the past participle of the verb 'to be' (sein in Standard German) often derives from a form similar to gesein, resulting in variations such as gsi, gsìnn, or gsei. To most German speakers, Alemannic is very difficult to understand.
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Minority languages include Hungarian, Croatian and Slovenian
German is the national official language of Austria and acts as a lingua franca and de facto first language. However, several minority languages are also spoken in the country, including Hungarian, Croatian, and Slovenian.
Hungarian has traditionally held an important position in Austria due to historical ties between the two countries. In 1849, the Hungarian Revolutionary Parliament proclaimed and enacted ethnic and minority rights laws, but these were overturned after the Russian and Austrian armies crushed the Hungarian Revolution. After the Kingdom of Hungary reached a compromise with the Habsburg Dynasty in 1867, one of their first acts was to pass a liberal Law on Nationalities, which offered extensive language and cultural rights. In 1956, about 170,000-180,000 Hungarians escaped into Austria following an uprising in Hungary, and some remained in the country permanently. Today, Hungarian is spoken by around 1,000 people in Burgenland, Austria.
Croatian is an official language in Austrian Burgenland and is spoken by 2.5% of Austrians. Burgenland Croats are recognized as a minority group and have enjoyed special rights following the Austrian State Treaty of 1955. Croatian was also granted equal status with Italian in Dalmatia in 1867.
Slovene, or Slovenian, is an official language in Austrian Carinthia. In 1882, a Slovene majority in the Diet of Carniola and the capital, Ljubljana, replaced German with Slovene as their primary official language. As of the 2001 census, Slovene is used by 12,686 Austrians as a vernacular language, and it is reported that 0.3% of Austrians can speak Slovene. Carinthian Slovenes are recognized as a minority and have enjoyed special rights and affirmative action following the Austrian State Treaty of 1955.
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English is the most populous non-official language
The official language of Austria is German, which is used by the government, media, and educational institutions. Austrian German is a version of German that is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, the unofficial native language of Austria. Austro-Bavarian is a collection of dialects native to the region, with distinct branches spoken in the northern and southern parts of the country.
Alemannic, a group of Upper German dialects, is another major unofficial language of Austria, with around 300,000 speakers. It is mostly spoken in the western state of Vorarlberg and has more German-Swiss influences.
In addition to these primary languages, several minority languages are spoken in Austria, including Turkish, Slovenian, Hungarian, and Croatian. According to Ethnologue, English is the most populous non-official language in Austria, with approximately 6.4 million speakers. This is due to English being taught in schools, and most Austrian children learn English as a second language. About 40% of Austrians speak English, which is comparable to the average in European countries. While English is widely spoken, especially among younger Austrians, German remains the primary language of communication among Austrians, and they may prefer to speak in German with each other.
Austria's linguistic history is tied to its political history. Austria's history was long intertwined with Germany's, having been part of the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria. This historical connection is reflected in the influence of German on Austrian languages and the presence of minority languages like Hungarian, which has its roots in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
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Frequently asked questions
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. This is due to Austria's history with Germany, as the two countries were once part of the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria. Austrian German also includes words and idioms borrowed from other languages such as Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Yiddish, and South Slavic.
Austria is home to several minority languages, including Turkish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. English is also widely spoken, with about 40% of the population speaking it.
The dialects of German spoken in Austria vary by region. In Vorarlberg, Alemannic (Swiss German) is the main dialect, while in the northern and southern parts of the country, different branches of Austro-Bavarian are spoken.
