Leslie Massey
Austria has a rich linguistic landscape, with German being the official language and the lingua franca of the country. However, Austrian German differs in vocabulary and grammar from the German spoken in Germany and Switzerland due to its unique historical influences. The country also boasts several dialects, such as Austro-Bavarian, which is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg, and various minority languages, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, and Czech. Immigration has further diversified the languages spoken, with Turkish and languages from former Yugoslavia also being prevalent in Austria today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official language | German |
| Dialects | Austro-Bavarian, Alemannic, Austrian German |
| Minority languages | Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign language, Turkish, French, English |
| Number of languages spoken | 250 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Official language of Austria
The official language of Austria is German, which is the first language of 93-98% of the population. Austrian German is a variant of German that is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and is partially incomprehensible to German speakers. It is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements.
Austria has a rich history of language diversity, with several minority languages recognised today. According to the European Commission, Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language are all recognised minority languages. In Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language alongside German, and in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian are equal to German as an official language. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, with over 4% of the population speaking it. Turkish is the second-largest minority language, with 2.3% of the population speaking it.
Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, meaning that state borders do not represent natural language borders. The German dialects spoken in Austria share characteristics with dialects in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as Eastern Switzerland. The main dialect outside of Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, with approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The northeastern parts of Austria, including Vienna, speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects.
In addition to these dialects, there are regional dialects influenced by the language spoken in the state capital. The most prominent of these is the Viennese dialect, which blends Central and Southern Austro-Bavarian with high language features. Vorarlberg is an exception to the Bavarian dialects, as it uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is also spoken in Northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace, France.
Exploring Austria's Chancellor Terms: How Long Do They Last?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Austrian German
German is the national official language of Austria and constitutes a lingua franca and de facto first language. The variety of German used in Austria is Austrian German, which is partially influenced by Austro-Bavarian. Austrian German is also influenced by several other dialects, including Alemannic (Swiss German), which is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, the same dialect group as that spoken in Northern Switzerland (outside Basel) and parts of southern Alsace, France.
In addition to Austrian German, several minority languages are spoken in Austria, some of which have official status. These include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language, while in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language.
Austria's COVID Response: Country-Wide Closure and Lockdown Measures
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Minority languages in Austria
German is the official language of Austria and is spoken by about 97% to 98% of the population. However, several minority languages are also spoken in the country, some of which have official status. These include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language alongside German. Similarly, in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian are recognised as official languages alongside German.
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. Burgenland Croatian, also known as Chakavian, is spoken by 2.5% of Austrians and has official recognition in the state of Burgenland. Slovene is recognised as an official language in Carinthia and is spoken by 0.3% of Austrians.
Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, with the Bavarian dialect or its variants being spoken in all states except Vorarlberg. The main dialect in Vorarlberg is Alemannic or Swiss German, which is very different from standard German and is difficult for German speakers to understand. The Austrian Federal Constitution calls for the respect and promotion of ethnic groups in the country, and special rights have been established for Austrian Croats, Czechs, Hungarians, Romani, Slovaks, and Slovenes under the Ethnic Group Act of 1976.
Immigration has further diversified the languages spoken in Austria. Guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia brought their languages and cultures to the country in the 1960s and 1970s. English is the second most spoken language in Austria, with about 40% of the population speaking it, followed by French, which is spoken by around 7% of Austrians.
Living in Austria: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Dialects in Austria
Austria has a unique mixture of languages, with about 250 languages spoken throughout the country. German is the official language of Austria and is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. It is also the de facto first language, with 98% of the population speaking it. However, Austrian German has some differences in accent and vocabulary compared to Standard German. German-speaking visitors may struggle with certain regional dialects, such as the Viennese dialect.
The variety of German spoken in Austria is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, which is the unofficial native language of Austria. Austro-Bavarian is a collection of dialects native to the region, with distinct branches 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 Austria. However, it has no written orthography, and it is very different from Standard German, making it hard for German speakers to understand.
Alemannic is another significant, if unofficial, language in Austria, with around 300,000 speakers. It is mostly spoken in the western state of Vorarlberg and has Swiss German influences. Alemannic is also spoken outside of Austria, including in Switzerland, Germany, France, and the United States.
In addition to these languages, Austria is home to several minority languages, including Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Turkish, and Czech. Croatian is the largest minority language, with about 139,000 speakers, followed by Hungarian, Slovenian, and Czech.
Austria's Progressiveness: A Country's Modern Outlook
You may want to see also
Explore related products
History of the Austrian language
German is the official language of Austria and has been since 1920. Austrian German, or Austrian, is a variety of Standard High German and differs from German as it is spoken in Germany. It is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and is the language used in the media, in schools, and for formal announcements.
The Austrian German language has its beginnings in the mid-18th century when Empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II introduced compulsory schooling in 1774 and several reforms of administration in their multilingual Habsburg Empire. At the time, the written standard was Oberdeutsche Schreibsprache (Upper German written language), which was influenced by the Bavarian and Alemannic dialects of Austria. Austrian German is the only variety of a pluricentric language recognized under international law or EU primary law.
Alemannic, or Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, the same dialect group as that spoken in northern Switzerland (outside Basel) and parts of southern Alsace, France. To most German speakers, it is very difficult to understand. The main native language of Austria outside Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, which has approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The northeastern parts of Austria (including Vienna) speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, and the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects.
In addition to German and its dialects, there are several minority languages spoken in Austria, some of which have official status. According to the European Commission, Austria's recognized minority languages include 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. 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.
Exploring Bregenz, Austria: Train Ticket Costs and More
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. It is the first language of nearly all Austrians and is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements.
Yes, there are several minority languages spoken in Austria, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. There are also dialects of German spoken in different regions of Austria, such as Alemannic in Vorarlberg and Central and Southern Austro-Bavarian in other parts of the country.
Austria's official language is German due to the country's historical ties with Germany. Both countries were part of the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria. Austria was also once a leading state in the German Confederation.
