Damon Mcknight
Austria has a rich linguistic landscape, with about 250 languages spoken across the country. German is the official language and the lingua franca, with approximately 97% of Austrians speaking it and 93% calling it their mother tongue. However, Austrian German differs from German as spoken in Germany, with unique vocabulary and grammar influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. Aside from German, several minority languages are officially recognised in Austria, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, and Romany. The country's dialects also showcase a range of influences, with Alemannic dialects in the west and Austro-Bavarian dialects widely spoken throughout the rest of the country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official Language | Austrian German, also known as Standard German or Austrian High German |
| Dialects | Austro-Bavarian, Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian, Alemannic, Swiss German, High Alemannic, Central Bavarian, Southern Bavarian, Viennese |
| Minority Languages | Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign Language, Turkish, French, English, Aramaic, Jenisch, Windisch |
| Language Influence | Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect |
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What You'll Learn
German is the official language
The Austrian German dialect is partially influenced by Austro-Bavarian, which is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg. Austrian German is also influenced by Swiss German, which is known as Alemannic and is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is the same dialect group spoken in Northern Switzerland (outside Basel) and parts of southern Alsace, France. To most German speakers, it is very difficult to understand.
In addition to the standard Austrian German dialect, there are several other dialects spoken throughout Austria. Seven million Austrians speak a central or southern Bavarian dialect or a colloquial language influenced by these dialects. In Eastern Austria, there is a smooth transition between dialect and standard language, and even in official settings, the dialect is often spoken. In Tyrol and Vorarlberg, Alemannic dialects can be heard, but they are not spoken in the rest of the country.
The individual federal states of Austria also have their own regional dialects, influenced by the way people in the state capital speak. The most prominent of these is the Viennese dialect, which influences many other dialects, blending central and southern Bavarian with Viennese and high language features.
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Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect
German is the national official language of Austria and acts as a lingua franca and de facto first language. Austrian German is the variety of German used in Austria and is influenced by Austro-Bavarian, the main dialect outside 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. Austro-Bavarian is a group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south-east of the German language area, including the German state of Bavaria, most of Austria, and South Tyrol in Italy. It is the main native language of Austria outside Vorarlberg and has approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The north-eastern parts of Austria (including Vienna) speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects.
Austro-Bavarian is commonly considered to be a dialect of German, but some sources classify it as a separate language. The International Organization for Standardization has assigned it a unique ISO 639-3 language code, and UNESCO lists it in the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. The difference between Bavarian and Standard German is larger than the difference between Danish and some varieties of Norwegian or between Czech and Slovak. Bavarian is derived from the name of the people who settled in Bavaria along with their tribal dialect. Bavarian is spoken by approximately 12 million people in an area of around 125,000 square kilometres, making it the largest of all German dialects.
Austro-Bavarian is also used to refer to the dialect group that includes the Austro-Bavarian dialect, as well as the Cimbrian, Hutterite German, and Mócheno dialects of Germany. The Austro-Bavarian language 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, to all those areas where Austro-Bavarian dialects are spoken today.
In addition to Austro-Bavarian, several other dialects are spoken in Austria. In Tyrol and Vorarlberg, Alemannic dialects can be heard, while the Viennese dialect is the most prominent regional dialect, influencing many other dialects to become a mixture of central and southern Bavarian with Viennese and high language features.
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Austria has many minority languages
The official language of Austria is German, which is the first language for most Austrians and is used in the media, schools, and formal announcements. The German spoken in Austria is Austrian German, which is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from the German spoken in Germany and Switzerland. Austro-Bavarian is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg, with approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The northeastern parts of Austria speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects. Alemannic, or Swiss German, is the main dialect in Vorarlberg and is spoken by about 300,000 people. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is the same dialect group spoken in Northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace in France.
In addition to these dialects, several minority languages are spoken in Austria, some of which have official status. 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 considered an official language, and 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.
The Austrian Federal Constitution calls for the respect and promotion of ethnic groups resident in Austria, and special rights have been established for certain minority groups. For example, the Austrian State Treaty of 1955 gave permission for the Burgenland Croats to use Croatian in education, the judiciary, and public administration. Additionally, Carinthian Slovenes are recognized as a minority and have enjoyed special rights and affirmative action following the Austrian State Treaty.
Immigration has also played a role in diversifying the languages spoken in Austria. Guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia brought their languages and cultures to the country in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, there are also small communities speaking rare languages, such as the Christian Assyrian diaspora community in Vienna, who speak Aramaic.
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Austrian German differs from German
Austrian German, also known as Austrian Standard German (ASG), Standard Austrian German, Austrian High German, or simply Austrian, is the official language of Austria. It is a variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German, meaning speakers of the two languages can generally understand each other. However, there are some differences between Austrian German and Standard German.
Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and other dialects such as the Viennese dialect, which is considered quintessentially Austrian by many in Germany. The Austro-Bavarian dialect is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg, a state in western Austria. The Viennese dialect, on the other hand, influences many other dialects, resulting in a mix of Central and Southern Austro-Bavarian with Viennese and high-language features. The dialects spoken in Austria follow a dialect continuum, meaning that the state's borders do not represent a natural language border.
One of the main differences between Austrian German and Standard German is vocabulary. For example, in Austrian German, the common diminutive suffix is "-erl", while in Standard German, it is "-chen" or "-lein". Additionally, Austrian German includes numerous words and idioms borrowed from languages such as Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Yiddish, and South Slavic. There are also differences in how certain foods are referred to in Austrian German and Standard German. For example, in Austrian German, you would ask for "Palatschinken" when ordering pancakes, while in Standard German, you would ask for "Pfannkuchen".
Another difference between the two languages is the past tense. While the past tense in Austrian German is built similarly to Standard German, there are some differences in the past perfect (Perfekt). In Austrian German, some verbs use a different auxiliary verb than in Standard German. For example, in Standard German, the most common diminutive suffix is "-chen", as in "Hund" (dog) becoming "Hündchen" (little dog). In Austrian German, the common diminutive suffix is "-erl", as in "Mäderl" (little girl) or "Häuserl" (little house).
In addition to vocabulary and grammar differences, there are also accent and pronunciation differences between Austrian German and Standard German. Austrian German is generally softer and more melodic than Standard German. The accents and pronunciations of different dialects in Austria can vary significantly, and even native German speakers may struggle to understand some of the more distinct dialects, such as those spoken in the rural west of the Austrian Alps or the deep valleys of Tyrol.
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Austria's dialects follow a continuum
Austria's official language is German, which is also the lingua franca and de facto first language. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from German as spoken in Germany in vocabulary and grammar. It is mutually intelligible with German, but there are some noticeable differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. For instance, in Standard German, the common syllable "ei" is pronounced like the English word "eye", but in Austrian German, it sounds more like "owe-uh".
Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, meaning the state's borders do not represent a natural language border. The German dialects spoken in Austria share characteristics with dialects occurring in the German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as Eastern Switzerland. Except for Vorarlberg, all Austrian states speak the Bavarian dialect or a variant thereof. Seven million Austrians speak a central or southern Bavarian dialect or a colloquial language influenced by these dialects. In Eastern Austria, there is a smooth transition between dialect and standard language, and even in official situations, the dialect is spoken. In Tyrol and Vorarlberg, Alemannic dialects are spoken, but not in the rest of the country.
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, with approximately 8.3 million speakers in Austria. The north-eastern parts of Austria (including Vienna) speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects.
In addition to local dialects, the individual federal states have regional dialects, influenced by how people in the state capital speak. The most prominent of these is the Viennese dialect, which influences many other dialects so they become a mixture of central and southern Bavarian with Viennese and high language features.
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Frequently asked questions
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect.
No, there are several minority languages spoken in Austria, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language.
The main dialect in Vorarlberg, Austria, is Alemannic, which is a Swiss German dialect.
No, Austrian German is different from German in terms of vocabulary and grammar. It is also influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect.
