Damon Mcknight
Austria, Switzerland, and Germany are three distinct nations with a shared history that has influenced their linguistic landscape. German is the official language of Germany and Austria, with Swiss German being the primary language in Switzerland. However, the variety of German spoken in Austria, known as Austrian German, differs from standard German and has its own unique vocabulary and grammar. Swiss German also varies from standard German and Austrian German, and both Austrian German and Swiss German are influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. In addition to German, Switzerland recognizes several other official languages, and Austria has numerous minority languages, some of which hold official status in certain regions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official language of Austria | Austrian German, a version of German influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect |
| Official language in Austrian Carinthia | Slovene |
| Official language in some districts of Burgenland | Hungarian and Croatian |
| Languages spoken in Austria | English, French, Italian, Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Czech, Burgenland-Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Austrian Sign Language, Romany, Swabian, Walser, Turkish, Serbo-Croatian |
| Dialects spoken in Austria | Bavarian, Alemannic, Swiss German |
| Language spoken in Switzerland | Swiss German, French |
| Language spoken in Germany | German |
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What You'll Learn
German is the official language of Austria, Switzerland and Germany
German is the official language of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. However, the German spoken in these countries differs in vocabulary and grammar. In Austria, the variety of German spoken is called Austrian German, or Österreichisches Deutsch. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the unofficial native language of Austria. Austro-Bavarian has no official orthography, but it is used in literary works, especially poems, to depict the sound of the pronunciation in the spelling. In addition, there are words and phrases that are unique to certain regions of Austria and Bavaria, such as "Griaß God" (literally "greet God" or "may God greet you") and "Servus/Servas" ("at your service"), which are used as greetings.
In Switzerland, the German language incorporates dozens of individual dialects, which can be broadly grouped under the catch-all term Swiss German, or Schweizerdeutsch. Swiss German borrows from English words for technological innovations, unlike standard German, which tends to coin new words for such terms. Swiss German is also influenced by French, another official language in Switzerland.
In Germany, the standard German words "stehen" (to stand) and "gestehen" (to confess) are identical in the present perfect: "habe gestanden". However, Austrian German avoids this potential ambiguity by using "bin gestanden" for "stehen" and "habe gestanden" for "gestehen".
In addition to German, several other languages are spoken in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. In Austria, about 250 languages are spoken, with only about 20 languages (excluding official languages) having more than 10,000 speakers. The largest minority language in Austria is Serbo-Croatian, 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 Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Romani, Austrian Sign Language, and Slovak.
Switzerland also has several official languages besides German, including French, Italian, and Romansh. Additionally, various dialects and languages are spoken in different regions of Switzerland, such as the Romansh language in the Grisons region and the Lombard language in Ticino.
In Germany, the most common foreign languages spoken are Turkish, Kurdish, Polish, and Russian. There are also several recognized minority languages in Germany, including Danish, Low German, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Romani, and Upper Sorbian.
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Swiss German is the most widely spoken language in Switzerland
In terms of vocabulary, one noticeable difference between Swiss German and Standard German is the borrowing of English words for technological innovations. While Standard German tends to coin new words for new technologies, Swiss German speakers often use a variation of the English word, albeit with a significantly different pronunciation. For example, the word ''Erdapfel' is the accepted Austrian German term for 'potato', but more than half of the Austrian population use the standard German word 'Kartoffel'. Additionally, the influence of French, another official language in Switzerland, can be observed in Swiss German.
The German dialects spoken in Switzerland also differ in grammar from German as spoken and written in Germany and Austria. For instance, in Austria and German-speaking parts of Switzerland, verbs that express a state tend to use "sein" as the auxiliary verb in the perfect, as well as verbs of movement. As a result, the perfect form of verbs such as "sitzen" (to sit), "liegen" (to lie), and "schlafen" (to sleep) would be "ich bin gesessen," "ich bin gelegen," and "ich bin geschlafen," respectively.
It is important to note that the use of Swiss German varies between cities and rural areas. Cities have lost much of the Swiss vocabulary over time, and some standard German words, like "Frühstück," are almost never used in Swiss German. The Alemannic dialect, on the other hand, is prevalent in Vorarlberg and parts of northern Switzerland outside Basel, as well as in parts of southern Alsace, France. This dialect is challenging for most German speakers to understand.
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Austria has many minority languages
Austrian German has its roots in the mid-18th century, when Empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II introduced compulsory schooling in 1774. The written standard at the time was Oberdeutsche Schreibsprache (Upper German written language). Austrian German is considered the de facto first language of the country and is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. However, 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, where it is the main dialect. The Alemannic dialect used in Vorarlberg is very difficult for most German speakers to understand. The main native language outside of Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, which has distinct branches spoken in the northern and southern parts of the country.
In addition to these dialects, several minority languages are spoken in Austria, some of which have official status. According to the European Commission, the recognized minority languages in Austria include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language, and it is reported that 0.3% of Austrians can speak Slovene. In some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language. 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 Romanian, with an estimated 18,800 speakers, and English, with 6.4 million speakers as most children learn it in school.
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German is the most spoken native language in the European Union
In Switzerland, German is one of the official languages, and Swiss German, or Schweizerdeutsch, encompasses various dialects spoken in the country. Swiss German is influenced by English, with technological terms often borrowed from English, albeit with different pronunciations. Additionally, French, another official language in Switzerland, has left its mark on Swiss German vocabulary. While standard German words are sometimes used, Swiss German maintains its distinct character.
In Germany itself, German is the official language. The German spoken in southern Germany shares similarities with Austrian German, particularly in the use of "sein" as the auxiliary verb in the perfect for verbs expressing a state or movement. For example, "sitzen" (to sit) and "liegen" (to lie) would be expressed as "ich bin gesessen" and "ich bin gelegen," respectively, in both southern Germany and Austria.
The influence of German extends beyond these three countries, as it is also a co-official language in Belgium and Luxembourg. Additionally, German is widely spoken in northern Italy, Denmark, eastern France, and several countries in Eastern Europe, including Poland, Russia, and the Czech Republic. As a result, German is the most commonly spoken native language in the European Union, highlighting its importance and influence in the region.
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German is the second-most widely spoken Germanic language
The German language has its roots in the Germanic tribes that migrated south from Scandinavia and Northern Germany in the 2nd century BC, eventually settling in western Germany and along the Baltic coasts. The common ancestor of all Germanic languages is Proto-Germanic or Common Germanic, which was spoken in about the middle of the 1st millennium BC. Over time, the Germanic languages evolved into three main branches: North Germanic, West Germanic, and East Germanic. While East Germanic languages are now extinct, the North and West Germanic languages continue to be spoken by millions of people today.
German is considered a West Germanic language and is closely related to other languages in this branch, such as English, Dutch, and Afrikaans. Within Germany itself, there are various dialects of German spoken, such as Bavarian and Alemannic, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written. In Austria, the variety of German spoken is influenced by Austro-Bavarian and is known as Austrian German or Österreichisches Deutsch. It has distinct words and pronunciations that set it apart from standard German, such as "Jänner" for January and "Stiege" for stairs.
Standard German was first standardized in its written form in 1901 at the Second Orthographic Conference, and the Duden Handbook was declared as its standard definition. However, German pronunciation continued to vary across regions, and it was not until the 20th century that a wider standardization of pronunciation was achieved through public speaking in theatres and the media. Today, Austrian German is the official language of Austria, and it is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. While there are other minority languages spoken in Austria, such as Hungarian and Croatian, German remains the most widely spoken language in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
The official language of Germany is German, with over 95% of the country speaking Standard German or a dialect of German as their first language. German is the second-most widely spoken Germanic language, after English, both as a first and as a second language.
Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Over 60% of the population speaks German (both standard German and Swiss German) as their main language, while over 20% speaks French, around 8% Italian and under 1% Romansh.
German is the official language of Austria and is spoken by roughly 97-98% of the population. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from German as spoken in Germany.
Yes, there are. In Germany, there are several recognised minority languages, including Low German, and immigrant languages due to historical migration waves. In Switzerland, besides the four official languages, there are several regional Romance languages that are spoken natively, including Franco-Provençal and Lombard. In Austria, there are several minority languages, some of which have official status, such as Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, and Romani.
