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Austria is a German-speaking country, but it doesn't have its own official language. Austrian German is the official language and the mother tongue of most Austrians, but the country also has several minority languages. The linguistic diversity of Austria is influenced by its history and the ethnic composition of its population.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official language | German (Austrian German) |
| Lingua franca | German (Austrian German) |
| De facto first language | German (Austrian German) |
| Language used in media, schools, and formal announcements | German (Austrian German) |
| Main dialect outside Vorarlberg | Austro-Bavarian |
| Main dialect in Vorarlberg | Alemannic |
| Number of languages spoken | ~250 |
| Largest minority language | Serbo-Croatian |
| Second-largest minority language | Turkish |
| Minority languages with official status | Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign language |
| Official language in Carinthia | Slovene |
| Official language in some districts of Burgenland | Hungarian, Croatian |
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What You'll Learn
German is the official language
Austria's history has been intertwined with Germany's for a long time, having been part of the German Confederation and the German Republic after the First World War. It was only after this war that Austria began to develop its own distinct identity. As a result of this shared history, Austrian German has been influenced by German but has also developed unique characteristics.
Austrian German is distinct from the German spoken in Germany, and the two varieties are not entirely mutually intelligible. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg and the primary native language of Austria outside that region. Austro-Bavarian is a collection of dialects native to Austria, with distinct branches spoken in the northern and southern parts of the country. More than 8 million people in Austria speak Austro-Bavarian, making it the de facto main language of the country, despite lacking an official written standard.
Alemannic, or Swiss German, is another significant language in Austria, spoken by about 300,000 people in the western state of Vorarlberg and the Reutte District of Tyrol. Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal state of Austria and borders Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany, which are also home to Alemannic speakers. This dialect is challenging for most German speakers to understand.
In addition to German and its dialects, Austria is also home to several minority languages, including Turkish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, and Romany. These languages have arrived in Austria due to various economic, political, and historical factors. For example, Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language, with over 4% of the population speaking it, due to historical ties between the two countries.
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Austrian German is distinct from German
German is the official language of Austria, with Austrian German being the variety of Standard German written and spoken in the country. Austrian German is distinct from German in several ways, including vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and accent.
Austrian German has a rich history, with its beginnings in the mid-18th century when Empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II introduced compulsory schooling and administrative reforms in their multilingual Habsburg empire. Until 1918, the spoken standard in Austria was Schönbrunner Deutsch, a sociolect influenced by Viennese German and other Austro-Bavarian dialects. Today, Austrian German is the official language of education, media, and administration in Austria.
Vocabulary Differences
Austrian German and Standard German share most of their vocabulary, but there are some notable differences in local jargon, colloquial expressions, and special terms. For example, in Austrian German, the common diminutive suffix is "-erl", while in Standard German, it is usually "-chen" or "-lein". Additionally, Austrian German has unique words for certain concepts, such as using "grüß gott" or "servus" to greet someone instead of "hallo" or "guten tag" in Standard German.
Grammatical Differences
There are also minor grammatical differences between Austrian German and Standard German. For instance, in Austrian German, the perfect tense sometimes uses "sein" ("to be") as the auxiliary verb instead of "haben" ("to have") in Standard German. This is particularly noticeable with verbs expressing a state or movement, such as "sitzen" (to sit), "liegen" (to lie), and "schlafen" (to sleep).
Pronunciation and Accent
Austrian German is generally softer and more melodic than Standard German. The accents of Austrian German speakers can vary significantly across regions, with people from different provinces, such as Carinthia, Styria, Vienna, Upper Austria, and the Tyrol, having very distinctive accents. The Viennese dialect, for example, is considered more challenging for German speakers to understand.
Regional Dialects
Within Austria, there are several regional dialects, including Austro-Bavarian, which is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg, and Alemannic, which is primarily spoken in Vorarlberg and influenced by Swiss German. These dialects have distinct variations within the country, and even within specific regions, such as Styria and the Tyrol, different dialects can be found.
In summary, Austrian German and Standard German are mutually intelligible, but they exhibit distinct differences in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and regional dialects. These differences reflect the rich linguistic diversity within Austria and its unique historical influences.
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Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg
The official language of Austria is German, specifically Austrian German, which is a variety of German influenced by Austro-Bavarian. However, Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect spoken outside of Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg is the only Austrian state where Alemannic, or Swiss German, is the primary dialect.
Austro-Bavarian is a group of Upper German dialects spoken in the south-east of the German language area, including most of Austria, the German state of Bavaria, and South Tyrol in Italy. It is also spoken in Switzerland, southern Germany, and parts of Italy and Hungary. Austro-Bavarian is further divided into Central Bavarian, Southern Bavarian, and Northern Bavarian, with distinct accents in Carinthia, Styria, and Tyrol. The Viennese dialect also has unique characteristics.
Austro-Bavarian is considered a dialect of German, but some classify it as a separate language. While the International Organization for Standardization has assigned it a unique language code, and UNESCO lists it as an endangered language, most scholarly sources define it as a dialect. The difference between Austro-Bavarian and Standard German is larger than the difference between some other languages and their dialects, such as Danish and Norwegian or Czech and Slovak. However, due to the influence of media and education, most Austrians can speak Standard German, and the two languages have influenced each other over time.
Austria is also home to several minority languages, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language alongside German, and in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, spoken by over 4% of the population, followed by Turkish, with 2.3% of speakers.
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Alemannic is the main dialect in Vorarlberg
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which is a variety of German influenced by Austro-Bavarian. However, the country is also home to several other regional and minority languages. One of the major unofficial languages of Austria is Alemannic, which is the main dialect in the western state of Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg is the only Austrian state where the local dialect is not Austro-Bavarian.
Alemannic, or Alemannish, is a group of Upper German dialects with Swiss German influences. It is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg, where a High Alemannic dialect is used. This dialect is also spoken in parts of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Baden-Württemberg, Bavarian Swabia, and Alsace, France. The Vorarlberg dialect is further divided into several regional sub-dialects, such as those of Montafon, Bregenzerwald, and Lustenau, which differ significantly from each other. The Alemannic dialect in Vorarlberg is so distinct that it is often unintelligible to German speakers from other parts of Austria.
Alemannic has a long history, with the oldest known texts dating back to the sixth century. The Alemannic dialects of Switzerland are often referred to as Swiss German or Schwiizerdütsch. In the seventeenth century, written Alemannic was replaced by Standard German, which emerged from Early Modern High German. Despite this, Alemannic continues to be spoken and has influenced the culture and cuisine of Vorarlberg.
In addition to Alemannic, other minority languages spoken in Austria include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. These languages have varying numbers of speakers, with Serbo-Croatian being the largest minority language, spoken by more than 4% of the population.
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Minority languages include Turkish, Croatian, and Hungarian
German is the official language of Austria and is the country's lingua franca. However, several minority languages are also spoken throughout the country, including Turkish, Croatian, and Hungarian.
Turkish is the second-largest minority language in Austria, with 2.3% of the population speaking it as of 2001. The full Turkish community in Austria is estimated to number between 200,000 and 300,000 people. Turks are the leading group seeking Austrian citizenship and account for the majority of Muslims in the country. Turks live in all nine provinces, with the majority living in Vienna. They were recruited to Austria as 'guest workers' for the construction and export industries following an agreement with the Turkish government in 1964. From 1971, Turkish migrants included Turkish and Kurdish political refugees. Turkish-language education has been offered to Turkish children in schools in Vienna and some other provinces since 1979.
Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, with Serbo-Croatian being spoken by more than 4% of the population. Burgenland Croatian, a variant of Croatian, is spoken by 2.5% of Austrians. It combines the Chakavian, Shtokavian, and Kajkavian dialects. Burgenland Croats are recognised as a minority ethnic group in Austria, with around 320,000 residents of Austria identifying as of Croat heritage. They gained minority status in the Austrian Treaty of Independence of 1955, and their language has been an official language in Austrian Burgenland since then. Croatian is also used in education, the judiciary, and public administration in Burgenland.
Hungarian is also a recognised minority language in Austria, with around 1,000 speakers in Burgenland as of the 2001 census. The Hungarian minority in Austria is composed of two parts: the Burgenland Hungarians and the Hungarians living in the Vienna region. Hungarians have a long history in Austria, with Hungarian students graduating from Vienna University and an increasing influx of Hungarian craftsmen arriving in the city from the 17th century onwards. Hungarian has traditionally held an important position in Austria due to the historical ties between the two countries.
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Frequently asked questions
The majority language in Austria is Austrian German, which is the official language of the country.
Austrian German is the official language of Austria and is used by the government, media, schools, and universities. However, it is not the mother tongue of most Austrians, who speak either German or Austro-Bavarian.
Besides Austrian German, other languages spoken in Austria include Alemannic, Austro-Bavarian, and several minority languages such as Hungarian, Croatian, Turkish, and Slovenian.
Austria's linguistic history is tied to its political history. The country was once part of the Holy Roman Empire, the German Confederation, and the German Republic. This long historical association with Germany has influenced the language spoken in Austria today.
