Leslie Massey
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The German name for Austria, Österreich, means eastern realm and is derived from the Old High German word Ostarrîchi. The name originates from the Latin name Marchia orientalis, which translates to eastern borderland. The country's name in other languages includes an-Namsā in Persian, Otrish in Turkish, and Ostereich in Indian English.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Austria |
| Language | German |
| German Name | Österreich |
| Origin of the Name | The name originates from the Old High German word Ostarrîchi, meaning "eastern realm" |
| Latin Name | Marchia orientalis ("eastern borderland") |
| Latinized Name | Austria |
| Other Names | Persian and Arabic: an-Namsā; Turkish: Nemçe; French-derived: Otrish |
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What You'll Learn
- Austria's name in German, Österreich, means eastern realm
- The name Austria is a Latinization of Österreich
- Austria was called an-Namsā in Persian and Nemçe by the Turks
- The name may originate from the Celtic languages of ancient Austria
- The name Austria is comparable to Austrasia, a term for the 'eastern lands' of Francia
Austria's name in German, Österreich, means eastern realm
Austria's name in German, Österreich, means "eastern realm". This name is derived from the Old High German Ostarrîchi, which first appeared in the "Ostarrîchi document" of 996. The word "Ostarrîchi" is a combination of "ostar-", meaning "eastern", and "rihhi", meaning "realm" or "domain". The name "Österreich" thus refers to the easternmost part of the former Duchy of Bavaria, which is now the northeastern part of the Republic of Austria.
The term "Ostarrîchi" likely originated as a translation of the Latin name "Marchia orientalis" or "eastern borderland". This name was given to the prefecture of the Duchy of Bavaria, which was assigned to the Babenberg family in 976. The Latin name "Marchia orientalis" may also have been influenced by the earlier Celtic name for the region, "Norig", which is believed to have meant the same as "Ostarrîchi" and "Österreich".
It is worth noting that the main part of Austria is indeed east of Bavaria, which supports the origin of the name "Österreich" or "eastern realm". Additionally, Vienna, the capital of Austria, is further east than any place in modern Germany, although this was not a factor in the naming of the country.
The German name of Austria, "Österreich", has also led to some linguistic curiosities. For example, the adjective "Österreichischen" refers to people or things from Austria, but it does not literally mean "Easterners", which might have been expected from the translation of "Österreich" as "eastern realm".
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The name Austria is a Latinization of Österreich
The name Austria is a Latinisation of the German word 'Österreich', which means 'eastern realm'. The Latinised name 'Austria' was first recorded in the 12th century. The name originates from the Old High German 'Ostarrîchi', which is a translation of the Medieval Latin 'Marchia orientalis' or 'eastern borderland'. The Latin name 'Marchia orientalis' was also called the 'Marcha austriaca' or 'March of Austria'.
The first element of the Old High German word 'Ostarrîchi' means 'east' and is derived from the Proto-Germanic 'austraz' or 'austrą', meaning 'eastern'. The second element, 'rīhhi', means 'realm' and is comparable to the modern German 'Reich', which also means 'realm'. The Old High German word 'Ostarrîchi' is known from a single usage in the 'Ostarrîchi document' dated 996. Later medieval documents record the word as either 'Osterrîche' (official) or 'Osterlant' (folk and poetic usage). The variation 'Osterrîche' was first recorded in 998.
The name 'Österreich' or 'Ostarrîchi' refers to the easternmost part of the former Duchy of Bavaria, which is now the northeastern part of the Republic of Austria. In the 11th century, the dukes of Bavaria were chosen by the emperor, and the house of Babenberg became the dukes. However, in 1156, Emperor Barbarossa gave Bavaria to the Welfs and, in exchange, the Babenbergs were granted the newly formed 'Duchy of Austria', allowing them to retain the duke title despite losing Bavaria.
The name 'Austria' has occasionally led to confusion because, while it is derived from the Germanic word for 'east', it is reminiscent of the Latin word for 'south', 'auster'. This is why the name 'Austria' is similar to 'Australia', which is derived from the Latin 'Terra Australis' or 'southern land'.
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Austria was called an-Namsā in Persian and Nemçe by the Turks
The name Austria, or more formally, the Republic of Austria, is derived from the Old High German word "Ostarrîchi", meaning "eastern realm". This name was first recorded in 996 and applied to the Margraviate of Austria, a borderland of the Duchy of Bavaria created in 976. The country of Austria is indeed located in Central Europe, east of Germany, and its capital, Vienna, is further east than any place in modern-day Germany.
Over time, the name "Austria" or a phonetic derivative has been adopted in most languages, including Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Maltese, Ukrainian, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Polish, Slovene, Greek, Estonian, Turkish, and Albanian. In Turkish, the word for Austria is 'Avusturya', which is derived from the French word for Austria, 'Autriche'.
In other Germanic languages, the name for Austria corresponds to the German Österreich, such as the Danish "Østrig", Dutch "Oostenrijk", and Swedish "Österrike". The Finnish "Itävalta" is also derived from the German name, with "itä" meaning "east" and "valta" meaning "state".
In Arabic, the name for Austria is "an-Namsā" or "el-namsa", "en-nemsa", or "in-naamsa", which is believed to be derived from the Slavic word "nemój" or "nijem", meaning "mute" or "one who does not understand the Slavic language". The Slavs were the Germans' closest neighbours, and the term was thus used predominantly for them. The Turks, who also borrowed the word "Almaanj" for "Germany", may have transmitted this Arabic name for Austria to the Arabic-speaking world via the Ottoman Empire.
In Persian, the name for Austria is "an-Namsā", and in Turkish, it is "Nemçe", demonstrating the diverse and varied names for this Central European country.
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The name may originate from the Celtic languages of ancient Austria
The name Austria may originate from the Celtic languages of ancient Austria. According to Friedrich Heer, a 20th-century Austrian historian, the Germanic form "Ostarrîchi" came from a much older term originating in the Celtic languages of ancient Austria. Over 2,500 years ago, the major part of the actual country was called "Norig" by the Celtic Hallstatt culture of the land. In this context, "no-" or "nor-" meant "east" or "eastern", while "-rig" is related to the modern German "Reich", meaning "realm". Thus, "Norig" essentially means the same as "Ostarrîchi" and "Österreich", which is the German name for Austria.
The Celtic name was eventually Latinised to "Noricum" after the Romans conquered the area that enclosed most of modern-day Austria in around 15 BC. "Noricum" later became a Roman province in the mid-1st century AD. The Latin name "Noricum" is also believed to be the origin of the name "Austria". The area that would become modern-day Austria was first inhabited by the Celts around 400 BC and was later annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC.
The shorter Latinised name "Austria" was first recorded in the 12th century. The German name "Österreich" is derived from the Old High German word "Ostarrîchi", meaning "eastern realm". The name "Österreich" refers to the easternmost part of the former Duchy of Bavaria, which is now the northeastern part of the Republic of Austria. The word "Ostarrîchi" is known from a single usage dated 996, in a document issued by Emperor Otto III.
In addition to the Germanic and Latin origins of the name, Austria has also been known by different names in other languages. In Persian and Arabic, Austria was called "an-Namsā" or "النمسا", while the Turks used the Arabic name as well and called the country "Nemçe". Currently, the name "Otrish" or "اتریش", derived from the French pronunciation, is used in Persian.
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The name Austria is comparable to Austrasia, a term for the 'eastern lands' of Francia
The name Austria is comparable to Austrasia, a term for the eastern lands of Francia. The German name of Austria, "Österreich", is derived from the Old High German word \"Ostarrîchi", meaning "eastern realm". This name was first recorded in 996 and applied to the Margraviate of Austria, a borderland of the Duchy of Bavaria created in 976. The name "Austria" is a Latinization of "Österreich", first recorded in the 12th century.
The term Austrasia, on the other hand, refers to the northeastern kingdom within the core of the Frankish Empire during the Early Middle Ages. It is believed to be the Latinization of an Old Frankish name, reconstructed as "Oster-rike" or "Eastern Kingdom". The name designated the original territory of the Franks, in contrast to Neustria, which meant the "(new) western land". Austrasia was centred on the Meuse, Middle Rhine, and Moselle rivers and included cities such as Cologne, Trier, and Metz.
The similarity between the names Austria and Austrasia lies in the inclusion of the word "east". While "Austria" translates to "eastern realm", "Austrasia" means "eastern land". This similarity is notable because, despite Austria being geographically south of Germany, it was once considered the easternmost part of the former Duchy of Bavaria, which is now the northeastern part of the Republic of Austria.
It is worth noting that the name "Austria" has evolved over time and has roots in various languages. Friedrich Heer, a 20th-century Austrian historian, suggested that the name originated from the Celtic languages of ancient Austria. According to Heer, the major part of the actual country was called "Norig" by the Celtic Hallstatt culture, with "no-" or "nor-" meaning "east" or "easterns", and "-rig" related to the modern German "Reich", meaning "realm". Thus, "Norig" essentially carries the same meaning as "Ostarrîchi" and "Österreich".
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Frequently asked questions
Austria does not call itself Ausland. The country's name in German is Österreich, which means "eastern realm".
The name Österreich is derived from the Old High German word Ostarrîchi, which means "eastern realm". The name was first used in 996 to refer to a small territory that was part of the Duchy of Bavaria.
In 976, the Margraviate of Austria, also known as the Bavarian Eastern March, was assigned to the Babenberg family, who were dukes of Bavaria at the time. The name Österreich likely refers to the easternmost part of the former duchy.
In Persian and Arabic, Austria was called an-Namsā (النمسا). The Turkish name for the country, Nemçe, is derived from the Arabic name. The current name used in Turkey, Otrish (اتریش), comes from the French pronunciation.
