Ruqayyah Snyder
Austria has a rich linguistic history, with about 250 languages spoken throughout the country. While the official language is Austrian German, there are several other regional dialects and minority languages spoken. The country's history is closely tied to Germany's, which has influenced the language. Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Federal High German and is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Language | Austrian German |
| Official Language | German |
| Lingua Franca | German |
| De Facto First Language | German |
| De Facto Main Language | Bavarian |
| Number of Languages Spoken | 250 |
| Most Common Foreign Languages | English, French, Italian |
| Most Common Minority Languages | Turkish, Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Slovak, Czech, Serbian |
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What You'll Learn
Austrian German
In terms of dialects, Bavarian is widely spoken in Austria, with over 8 million speakers, making it similar to a de facto main language. In less formal situations, Austrians also use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written. The Alemannic dialect in Vorarlberg, known as Vorarlbergerisch, is a High Alemannic dialect influenced by Swiss German.
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Austro-Bavarian dialect
The Austro-Bavarian dialect, also known as Bavarian, is a group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south-east of the German language area. This includes the German state of Bavaria, most of Austria, and South Tyrol in Italy. It is also spoken in parts of the Czech Republic, western Hungary, and even as far as Tyrol in Italy. Approximately 12 million people speak Bavarian in an area of around 125,000 square kilometres (48,000 square miles), making it the largest of all German dialects.
The Austro-Bavarian dialect has its origins in the Germanic tribe known as the Bavarii, who established a tribal duchy that covered much of what is today Bavaria and parts of Austria in the early Middle Ages. Over time, they gradually migrated down the Danube and into the Alps, settling in the areas where Austro-Bavarian dialects are now spoken. The dialectal separation of Upper German into East Upper German (Bavarian) and West Upper German (Alemannic) became more pronounced in the Middle High German period, from about the 12th century.
While Austro-Bavarian is considered a dialect of German, some sources classify it as a separate language. The International Organization for Standardization has assigned it a unique ISO 639-3 language code (bar), and UNESCO lists Bavarian in the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. Despite this, most scholarly sources define it as a dialect, and native speakers of Austro-Bavarian consider themselves to be speaking a dialect of German. The difference between Austro-Bavarian and Standard German is larger than the difference between Danish and some varieties of Norwegian or between Czech and Slovak.
Within Austro-Bavarian, there are several distinct dialects. These include Central Bavarian, Southern Bavarian, and Northern Bavarian. The Central Bavarian dialect is primarily spoken in Austria and Bavaria, or the areas straddling the main rivers Isar and Danube. A Middle Bavarian subdialect is spoken chiefly in Ober- and Niederösterreich, as well as in Vienna. The Southern Bavarian subdialect is spoken in Tirol (including southern Tirol), in Kärnten, and in parts of Steiermark. The Northern Bavarian dialect is spoken in the Upper Palatinate, Upper Franconia, and Upper and Lower Bavaria.
The Viennese dialect, or Viennese German, is considered a subset of the Central Bavarian dialect. It has some characteristics that distinguish it from all other dialects. Even within Vienna, minor but recognizable variations are characteristic of distinct districts of the city. The Alemannic (Swiss) dialect is also spoken in western parts of Austria, including in Vorarlberg and parts of western Tirol.
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Minority languages
German is the official language of Austria and the lingua franca. However, there are several minority languages spoken in the country, some of which have official status. According to the European Commission, Austria's "recognized minority languages are Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language."
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. The Austrian Federal Constitution calls for the respect and promotion of ethnic groups resident in Austria, and a special set of rights for Austrian Croats, Czechs, Hungarians, Romani, Slovaks, and Slovenes was established under the terms of the Ethnic Group Act (German: Volksgruppengesetz) in 1976. The rights of Croats and Slovenes are also set forth in the Austrian State Treaty.
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. Other minority languages in Austria include Slovak, Czech, Romanian, and English.
Austria is also home to several regional and secondary tongues, including Turkish, Slovenian, and Hungarian. While English is not an official language, it is the most widely spoken secondary language, with 6.4 million speakers, as most children learn English in school.
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Official languages
Austria's official language is German, specifically Austrian German, which differs from the German spoken in Germany. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the main dialect spoken outside Vorarlberg. In Vorarlberg, Alemannic is the main dialect, which is also considered an unofficial native language of Austria. While Alemannic is difficult for most German speakers to understand, Austrian German is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. It is also the language used by the government.
Austrian German is the official language of Austria, but it is not the only language spoken in the country. Austria is home to several minority languages, some of which have official status. According to the European Commission, the recognized minority languages in Austria are Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. 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.
Austria's linguistic diversity is influenced by its history. About a century ago, Austria was part of the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the many languages of this empire are still spoken in Austria today. Immigration has also played a role in diversifying the languages spoken in the country. For example, guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia in the 1960s and 1970s brought their languages and cultures with them.
While there is no single language called "Austrian," Austrian German is the closest equivalent and is the official language of the country. However, it is important to recognize that Austria is home to a rich variety of languages and dialects, reflecting its cultural and historical diversity.
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Dialects and standard language
The official language of Austria is German, specifically Austrian German, which is a variety of Standard German. However, Austrian German is distinct from the German spoken in Germany and Switzerland, with differences in vocabulary and grammar. It is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, which is considered the unofficial native language of Austria. Austro-Bavarian is a collection of dialects native to Austria, with distinct branches spoken in the northern and southern parts of the country. It is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg, where Alemannic (Swiss German) is the predominant dialect.
Alemannic is considered very difficult for German speakers to understand and is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg and some parts of Tyrol. The Alemannic dialect in Vorarlberg is known as High Alemannic and is the same dialect group spoken in Northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace in France.
Bavarian is the de facto main language of Austria, with over 8 million speakers. In Eastern Austria, there is a smooth transition between dialect and standard language, and even in official settings, the dialect is often used. The Viennese dialect is particularly influential, with many other dialects adopting a mixture of central and southern Bavarian with Viennese and high language features.
Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, meaning that the state's borders do not represent a natural language border. The German dialects spoken in Austria share characteristics with dialects in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as Eastern Switzerland.
In addition to these dialects, there are several minority languages spoken in Austria, some of which have official status. These include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language, and in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language, spoken by over 4% of the population. Turkish is the second-largest minority language, with 2.3% of the population speaking it.
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Frequently asked questions
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. However, there are many other spoken languages and dialects in the country.
There are around 250 languages spoken in Austria, including several minority languages. The largest minority language in Austria is Serbo-Croatian, followed by Turkish, Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian, and Slovenian.
Approximately 97% to 98% of people in Austria speak German, and a little over 93% call it their mother tongue.
In addition to Austrian German, several dialects are spoken in Austria, including Austro-Bavarian, Alemannic, and various federal dialects influenced by the state capitals.
