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Austrian German, the official language of Austria, is a variety of Standard German with distinct dialects and accents. It is primarily spoken in Austria and South Tyrol, with influences from Austro-Bavarian and Swiss German. While Austrian German shares a lot of vocabulary with Standard German, it has unique colloquialisms and terms, and minor grammatical differences. The language has a rich history, with roots in the mid-18th century when compulsory schooling was introduced in the Habsburg Empire. Today, it is widely spoken and understood, with a range of dialects and variations that give a sense of regional identity and cultural pride.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official Language | German |
| Lingua Franca | German |
| De Facto First Language | German |
| Number of Speakers | Most Austrians, excluding rural seniors |
| Language Used In | Media, schools, and formal announcements |
| Influenced By | Austro-Bavarian |
| Dialects | Upper German, Alemannic (Swiss German), Vorarlbergerisch, Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian |
| Number of Alemannic Speakers | 300,000 |
| Areas Speaking Alemannic | Vorarlberg, Northern Switzerland (outside Basel), Southern Alsace (France) |
| Main Native Language Outside Vorarlberg | Austro-Bavarian |
| Number of Austro-Bavarian Speakers | 8.3 million |
| Areas Speaking Central Austro-Bavarian | Northeastern parts of Austria (including Vienna), northern parts of the State of Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, northern Burgenland |
| Areas Speaking Southern Austro-Bavarian | Southern parts of Austria (including Salzburg and Burgenland), Tyrol, South Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria |
| Grammatical Differences | Different conjugation patterns for the verb "to be", omission of the final "e" in plural form, use of "sein" instead of "haben" in the perfect tense |
| Vocabulary Differences | "Hallo" or "Guten Tag" (hello) in German vs. "Grüß Gott" or "Servus" in Austrian German, "Sessel" (easy chair) in German vs. "Stuhl" (stool) in Austrian German |
| Pronunciation Differences | More frequent use of umlauts, especially before "r" and "l" |
| Minority Languages | Turkish, Romanian, Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign Language |
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What You'll Learn
- Austrian German is the official language of Austria
- Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German
- Upper German dialects are common in everyday spoken language
- Differences in vocabulary and pronunciation exist between Austrian German and Standard German
- Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian
Austrian German is the official language of Austria
The history of Austrian German is closely tied to the country's history. After World War I, Austria established itself as a sovereign nation, separate from Germany. As a result, some unique features of Austrian German developed, influenced by the country's multilingual Habsburg Empire and its exclusion from the development of a German nation-state in the late 19th century. Today, Austrian German is widely spoken in Austria and understood by German speakers worldwide. It is used in education, media, and administrative communications, although Austrians may use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects in less formal situations.
Standard German is also commonly spoken in Austria, especially in the capital city of Vienna. Here, people of all generations use Standard German in both formal and informal settings. This makes Vienna an ideal place to learn Standard German, as visitors can hear the clear and accurate variation of the language on a daily basis. Additionally, the wide use of Standard German in Austria is advantageous for German learners who visit the country to improve their language skills.
Austrian German has several dialects, including Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian, and Vorarlbergerisch, a High Alemannic dialect spoken in Vorarlberg. These dialects have unique words and phrases that reflect the cultural and historical traditions of different regions in Austria. For example, the greeting "Griaß God" or "Servus/Servas" is used in Austro-Bavarian but is rarely used in Standard German.
In summary, Austrian German is the official language of Austria, co-existing with other dialects and Standard German. It has unique features that set it apart from Standard German, influenced by the country's history and cultural traditions. Austrian German is widely spoken and understood, both within Austria and by German speakers worldwide, making it an essential aspect of the country's culture and communication.
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Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German
In terms of vocabulary, there are several key differences between Austrian German and Standard German. For example, in Austrian German, the verb "to be" has different conjugation patterns and often uses a shortened form of the Standard German verb or a new structure altogether. Austrians also tend to drop the final "e" in the plural form and use the perfect tense to form the past, similar to Standard German. Additionally, Austrian German has a more frequent use of umlauts, especially before the letters "r" and "l". For instance, Austrians say "färbig" instead of "farbig" (coloured).
There are also some regional dialects within Austria that can be more challenging for German speakers to understand. The Viennese dialect, for example, is known to be more difficult for Germans to comprehend. Similarly, the Austrian dialect in the rural west of the Austrian Alps differs significantly from the Viennese dialect.
In addition to these regional variations, Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian dialects, particularly in eastern Austria. The Austro-Bavarian dialect has no official orthography, but literary efforts, especially in poems, help to depict the sound of the pronunciation in the spelling. Certain phrases and words are unique to specific regions of Austria and Bavaria and are rarely used in Standard German. For example, "Griaß God" (greet God), meaning "may God greet you," is used as a greeting in Austrian German but not in Standard German.
Despite these differences, Austrian German and Standard German are generally mutually intelligible. German is a pluricentric language, meaning it has more than one standard variety. The standard forms of German, including German Standard German, Austrian Standard German, and Swiss Standard German, are mutually intelligible to a large extent, similar to the relationship between standard British English and standard American English.
Overall, while there are some variations in accent, vocabulary, and grammar between Austrian German and Standard German, speakers of the two languages can largely understand each other due to the mutual intelligibility between the standard forms of German.
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Upper German dialects are common in everyday spoken language
German is the national official language of Austria and constitutes a lingua franca and de facto first language. In everyday life, most Austrians speak one of several Upper German dialects, including Bavarian and Alemannic. Upper German dialects are common in everyday spoken language. While strong forms of the various dialects are not fully mutually intelligible to northern Germans, communication is much easier in Bavaria, especially in rural areas, where the Bavarian dialect still predominates as the mother tongue.
Alemannic, or Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people, mostly in Vorarlberg, where it is known as Vorarlbergerisch. 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.
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, and the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects. Austro-Bavarian has no official orthography, but there are literary efforts, especially in poems, to depict the sound of the pronunciation in the spelling.
In less formal situations, Austrians use Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, which are traditionally spoken but rarely written in Austria. The Austrian variant of German avoids potential ambiguities in the present perfect, such as "habe gestanden" from "gestehen" ("to confess") and "bin gestanden" from "stehen" ("to stand"). In addition, the preterite (simple past) is very rarely used in Austria, especially in spoken language.
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Differences in vocabulary and pronunciation exist between Austrian German and Standard German
Austrian German and Standard German, while sharing a linguistic heritage, differ in vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and cultural context. These variations contribute to the richness of the German language and offer insights into Austria's unique cultural identity.
Austrian German has a distinct accent characterised by a slower pace and a more musical intonation. Vowels tend to be pronounced more openly, and the letter "r" is often pronounced with a rolling "r" sound, influenced by Bavarian dialects. In contrast, Standard German has a more neutral and standardised pronunciation, known as "Hochdeutsch" (High German).
Austrian German exhibits some grammatical differences compared to Standard German. For instance, Austrian German speakers prefer using the past tense with "haben" (to have) instead of "sein" (to be) for verbs that typically use "sein" in Standard German. Additionally, the use of the genitive case (possessive case) is less common in Austrian German, with speakers opting for alternative grammatical constructions.
There are also notable differences in vocabulary between Austrian German and Standard German. For example, food-related terms can vary, such as "Erdapfel" for "potato" in Austrian German versus "Kartoffel" in Standard German. Administrative and legal language also differ due to Austria's distinct historical development. Austrians tend to use more formal language in social situations, emphasising politeness and respect, while Standard German is considered more straightforward and less formal.
Regional dialects within Austria and Germany can further complicate communication. The Viennese dialect, for instance, is more challenging for German speakers to understand. Additionally, the dialects spoken in rural areas of the Austrian Alps differ significantly from those in urban centres like Vienna.
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Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian
Austrian German, or Österreichisches Deutsch, is the variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria and South Tyrol. It is partially influenced by Austro-Bavarian, a group of Upper German varieties spoken in the southeast of the German language area, including the German state of Bavaria, most of Austria, and South Tyrol in Italy. Austro-Bavarian is also spoken in Switzerland, southern Germany, and parts of Hungary and Italy.
The Austro-Bavarian language has its origins in the Germanic tribe known as the Bavarii, who established a tribal duchy covering much of what is today Bavaria and some of Austria. The dialectal separation of Upper German into East Upper German (Bavarian) and West Upper German (Alemannic) became more tangible in the Middle High German period, from about the 12th century. 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 language code, and UNESCO lists Bavarian in the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger.
In everyday life, most Austrians speak one of the Upper German dialects of Austro-Bavarian. While strong forms of these dialects are not fully mutually intelligible to northern Germans, communication is much easier in Bavaria, especially in rural areas, where the Bavarian dialect is still the mother tongue. The Central Austro-Bavarian dialects are more intelligible to speakers of Standard German than the Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects of Tyrol. Viennese, the Austro-Bavarian dialect of Vienna, is considered quintessentially Austrian by many in Germany.
Austrian German has several key vocabulary differences compared to Standard German. For example, Jänner (January) is used instead of Januar, and heuer (this year) is used along with dieses Jahr. There are also differences in pronunciation, with umlauts appearing more frequently, especially before the letters "r" and "l". For example, Austrians say "färbig" instead of "farbig" (coloured). In addition, the preterite (simple past) is very rarely used in Austrian German, especially in spoken language.
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Frequently asked questions
Austrian German is spoken in Austria and South Tyrol.
German is the official language of Austria.
Dialects of Austrian German include Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian, Vorarlbergerisch, and Upper German dialects.
Austrian German and Standard German have different vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. For example, in Austrian German, the verb “to be” has different conjugation patterns, and the past tense is formed using the auxiliary verb "sein" instead of "haben".
Austrian German is mutually intelligible with Standard German, so German speakers can generally understand Austrian German without much difficulty. However, there are regional dialects within Austria that can be harder to understand, such as the Viennese dialect.
