Damon Mcknight
German is the official language of Austria, and over 98% of the population speaks it. However, the German spoken in Austria is not identical to the German spoken in Germany. The variety of German used in Austria, Austrian German, is influenced by Austro-Bavarian and Swiss German. Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German, but there are differences in vocabulary, accent, and sometimes grammar.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official language | German |
| Dialects | Austro-Bavarian, Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian, Vorarlbergerisch, Viennese, Styrian |
| Language history | Influenced by Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, Schönbrunner Deutsch, Austrian Chancellery Language |
| Language usage | Used in education, media, official publications and announcements, and administrative communications |
| Language similarities | Mutually intelligible with Standard German |
| Language differences | Accent, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation |
| Language variations | Regional dialects within Austria, including Viennese, rural west of the Austrian Alps, and Tyrolean |
| Language status | Recognized minority languages include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, and Roma |
| Language learning | Immersion in Austrian culture, such as movies and TV shows, can aid in learning the language |
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What You'll Learn
German is the official language of Austria
Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian and Southern German dialects. The Austro-Bavarian dialect spoken in Vienna, for example, is considered quintessentially Austrian by many in Germany. The variety of German spoken in Austria also differs from Standard German in its use of auxiliary verbs for individual expressions. For example, Austrians would say "ich bin gesessen" instead of "habe gesessen" ("I sat"). Additionally, Austrians rarely use the simple past tense.
The pronunciation in Austrian German is similar to that of Standard German, but with some notable differences. For instance, umlauts appear more frequently, especially before the letters "r" and "l." As a result, Austrians may say "färbig" instead of "farbig" ("coloured"). There are also some minor grammatical differences between Austrian German and Standard German. For example, "Würstchen" in Standard German becomes "Würstel" ("sausage") in Austrian German.
The history of Austria is closely tied to that of Germany, and Austria was once part of the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria. As a result, Austrian German includes numerous words and idioms borrowed from other languages, such as Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Yiddish, and South Slavic. Immigration has also played a role in diversifying the languages spoken in Austria, with guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia bringing their languages and cultures in the 1960s and 1970s.
In addition to the standard variety, Austrians in their everyday lives speak a number of Upper German dialects. While strong forms of these dialects may not be mutually intelligible to northern Germans, communication is much easier in Bavaria, especially in rural areas where the Bavarian dialect is still predominant. The Austrian dialects follow a continuum, meaning that there is a smooth transition between dialect and standard language, even in official situations.
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Austrians speak German dialects
The Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, spoken in the northeastern parts of Austria, are more easily understood by Standard German speakers than the Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects of Tyrol. The Viennese dialect, an Austro-Bavarian dialect, is considered quintessentially Austrian by many Germans. However, it is more challenging for German speakers to understand. The Graz dialect, spoken in the capital of Styria, is more easily understood by people from other parts of Austria than other Styrian dialects.
The various dialects of Austria share many simple words, but each dialect has distinct pronunciations. For example, the word for "easy chair" in Germany is "Sessel," while in Austria, it is "Stuhl." Additionally, the perfect tense in Austrian German sometimes uses "sein" ("to be") instead of "haben" ("to have") in Standard German. Austrians also tend to use different auxiliary verbs for individual expressions. For instance, they would say "färbig" instead of "farbig" ("coloured").
Historically, until 1918, the spoken standard in Austria was Schönbrunner Deutsch, influenced by Viennese German and other Austro-Bavarian dialects. Additionally, Austria had a unique form of the language for official government documents called Österreichische Kanzleisprache or "Austrian chancellery language." This form is complex and challenging to understand, even for native speakers, due to its specialised terms.
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Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian
Austrian German is the official language of Austria, used in education, media, and administrative communications. Over 98% of the population of Austria speaks German, and more than 8 million people in Austria speak Bavarian, making it the de facto main language of the country.
The Central Austro-Bavarian dialects are more understandable to Standard German speakers than the Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects of Tyrol. The Viennese dialect, an Austro-Bavarian dialect spoken in Vienna, is considered quintessentially Austrian by many Germans. The people of Graz, the capital of Styria, speak a dialect that is more easily understood by people from other parts of Austria than other Styrian dialects.
Austro-Bavarian dialects were historically spoken by the nobility of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including the imperial Habsburg family. Until 1918, the spoken standard in Austria was Schönbrunner Deutsch, a sociolect influenced by Viennese German and other Austro-Bavarian dialects spoken in eastern Austria.
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Austrian German has different vocabulary and pronunciation
Austrian German, or 'Österreichisches Deutsch', is the official language of Austria. It is a variety of Standard German, with several unique features. While Austrians and Germans can generally understand each other well, there are differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and sometimes syntax that can lead to minor confusion. Austrian German has its own set of words and phrases that are not used or may have different meanings in Standard German.
Austrian German has been influenced by various Austro-Bavarian dialects and the country's historical development, including the legacy of the Habsburg monarchy. Schönbrunner Deutsch, a sociolect influenced by Viennese German and other Austro-Bavarian dialects spoken in eastern Austria, was the spoken standard in Austria until 1918. The preterite (simple past) tense is rarely used in Austrian German, especially in spoken language. Additionally, Austrians tend to use a different auxiliary verb for individual expressions. For example, the auxiliary verb 'sein' is commonly used with verbs expressing a state or movement, such as 'sitzen' (to sit) and 'liegen' (to lie).
The pronunciation in Austrian German is similar to Standard German, but some differences stand out. Umlauts, for instance, appear more frequently, especially before the letters "r" and "l". As a result, Austrians may say "färbig" instead of "farbig" (coloured).
The vocabulary differences between Austrian German and Standard German can be significant. For example, ordering coffee in Austria comes with its own set of terms. A simple black coffee is a 'Verlängerter', while a cappuccino is a 'Melange'. When greeting someone in Austria, you might say 'grüß gott' or 'servus' instead of the German 'hallo' or 'guten tag'.
Regional dialects within Austria can also vary greatly and may be difficult for German speakers to understand. The Viennese dialect, for example, is considered more impenetrable to German speakers. The dialects of the deeper valleys of Tyrol are often unintelligible even to other Tyroleans.
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There are regional dialects within Austria
German is the official language of Austria, with over 98% of the population speaking it. However, there are several regional dialects within Austria, with some regions being linguistically similar to each other. The main dialects are Austro-Bavarian, which is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg, and Alemannic, the main dialect in Vorarlberg.
Alemannic is also spoken in parts of Tyrol, while Bavarian dialects are more common in the rest of Austria. The Austro-Bavarian dialects can be further divided into Central Austro-Bavarian, which is spoken in the northern parts of the State of Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and northern Burgenland, and Southern Austro-Bavarian, which is spoken in Tyrol, South Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, and the southern parts of Salzburg and Burgenland. The Central Austro-Bavarian dialects are more intelligible to speakers of Standard German than the Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects of Tyrol.
The people of Graz, the capital of Styria, speak a dialect that is not very Styrian and is more easily understood by people from other parts of Austria than other Styrian dialects. The Viennese dialect, for example, is more impenetrable to German speakers. The dialects of the deeper valleys of Tyrol are so distinct that other Tyroleans may not even understand them.
In addition to these dialects, there are also minority languages spoken in Austria, such as Burgenland Croatian, Slovene, and Hungarian.
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Frequently asked questions
Austrians speak Austrian German, the official language of Austria. It is mutually intelligible with Standard German, though there are differences in accent, vocabulary, and some minor grammatical differences. Austrian German is also influenced by Austro-Bavarian dialects and Southern German dialects.
Austrian German has a different vocabulary from Standard German, including different ways to say "hello", "tomato", and when ordering coffee. For example, in Austrian German, "hello" is "grüß gott" or "servus", whereas in Standard German, it is "hallo" or "guten tag". Austrian German also has more frequent umlauts, especially before the letters "r" and "l".
Austrian German is generally mutually intelligible with Standard German. However, some dialects, such as the Viennese dialect and the dialects of the deeper valleys of Tyrol, can be more difficult for German speakers to understand.
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