How many dialects are in Austria?

Why does Austria not have its own language?

The reason why Austria doesn’t have its “own” official language is because a large chunk of its history was tied up with Germany’s (as in, it was part of Germany for some time). It wasn’t until after the First World War that Austria began the process of becoming the nation we know it as today.

Do they speak Hochdeutsch in Austria?

Austrian German (German: Österreichisches Deutsch), Austrian Standard German (ASG), Standard Austrian German (Österreichisches Standarddeutsch), or Austrian High German (Österreichisches Hochdeutsch), is the variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria.

Is Bavarian a language or a dialect?

Bavarian is a class of dialects (or maybe even a language?) that is spoken in most parts of Bavaria and in most parts of Austria and in South Tyrol which is part of Italy. Bavaria is one of the 16 states of Germany.

What are the common languages in Austria?

German
Austria/Official languages

Although Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Turkish, and other languages are spoken by the various minority groups, nearly all people in Austria speak German. The dialect of German spoken in Austria, except in the west, is Bavarian, sometimes called Austro-Bavarian.

What language did they speak in Austria?

German is the official language spoken by 98\% of the population as mother tongue. There are distinct differences between the many regional dialects, and also a wide variation in the ‘standard’ Hochdeutsch spoken from region to region. Slovene is an official language in the southern province of Carinthia.

What is the official language of Austria?

German is the official language of Austria and an important prerequisite for participating in the working, economic and social life of the country. Croatian, Slovenian and Hungarian are recognised as official languages of autonomous population groups in some regions.

Are Austrian and German the same language?

Despite their minor differences, Austrian German and standard German are generally considered to be the same. Therefore, if you learned German in school, you will have no difficulty conversing with the locals in Austria.

Are Bavarian and German different languages?

The language spoken mainly in Germany today is called Standard German and basically a constructed language coming from Middle High German. As Bavarian is part of that Big High German Family it is not considered a Language but a Dialect.

Does Austria have a language?

Languages of Austria. Although Croatian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Turkish, and other languages are spoken by the various minority groups, nearly all people in Austria speak German. The dialect of German spoken in Austria, except in the west, is Bavarian, sometimes called Austro-Bavarian.

How are dialects associated with place?

Dialects can be associated not only with place but also with particular social groups. Within a given English-speaking country, there is a form of the language considered to be Standard English: the Standard Englishes of different countries differ and can themselves be considered dialects.

What language do they speak in Austria?

Just above 40\% of people in Austria speak English, which is more or less on par with the average in European countries. English is therefore the second most spoken language in the country, followed by French, which roughly 7\% of Austrians speak. Less than 1\% of Austria’s population calls English their mother tongue.

Why do dialects decline?

A trend has also grown of regarding official languages as being of higher status than dialects of villages and is thus another reason as to the decline of dialects. It is vital that we hold on to as many languages and dialects throughout the world as possible, particularly those which are only spoken by minority groups.

Which countries in Europe have a wide range of dialects?

France is another European country which is known for its wide range of dialects, much due to its proximity to and borders with other countries. The Franco-Germanic dialect of Alsace (Alsatian) is spoken by 1.44\% of people in France – that’s 548,000 speakers.