Editing Austrian German (section)

==Standard Austrian German==
The German language is a [[Pluricentric language|pluricentric language]] and Austrian German is one of its [[standard language|standardized forms]]. The official Austrian dictionary, {{Lang|de|[[Österreichisches Wörterbuch]]}}, [[linguistic prescription|prescribes]] spelling rules that define the official language.<ref name=":0" />

Austrian delegates participated in the international working group that drafted the [[German orthography reform of 1996#In Austria|German spelling reform]] of 1996 and several conferences leading up to the reform were hosted in Vienna at the invitation of the Austrian federal government. Austria adopted it as a signatory, along with Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, of an international memorandum of understanding ({{lang|de|Wiener Absichtserklärung|italic=no}}) signed in Vienna in 1996.

The [[eszett]] (ß) is used in Austria and Germany but not in Switzerland.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joyce |first=Paul |title=German Alphabet: Umlauts and 'ß' - Paul Joyce |url=http://joycep.myweb.port.ac.uk/abinitio/alphabet/umlautsz.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225033105/http://joycep.myweb.port.ac.uk/abinitio/alphabet/umlautsz.html |archive-date=2023-12-25 |access-date=2023-12-25 |website=joycep.myweb.port.ac.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zui |date=2022-11-05 |title=The story of Eszett (ß) |url=https://thelanguagecloset.com/2022/11/05/the-story-of-eszett-s/ |access-date=2023-12-25 |website=The Language Closet |language=en}}</ref> In Austria, it is usually only called "scharfes s" ("sharp s").<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dein Österreichisches Wörterbuch: ß sprich scharfes s - ß sprich sz |url=https://www.oesterreichisch.net/wort/2897/ss-sprich-scharfes-s |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Dein Österreichisches Wörterbuch: ß sprich scharfes s - ß sprich sz |language=de}}</ref>

[[File:Oesterreichische Schulschrift 1995, 2 - Schraegschrift.jpg|right|thumb|{{lang|de|Schulschrift}} (1995), an Austrian primary-school handwriting style]]
[[File:Fußgeher-Schild.JPG|thumb|A sign in Vienna: {{lang|de|Fußgeher}} ("pedestrian") is {{lang|de|Fußgänger}} in Germany. In all-caps words, [[capital ẞ]] (instead of ''SS'') became standard in both nations in 2017, but ''SS'' remains valid.]]

Distinctions in vocabulary persist, for example, in [[culinary]] terms, for which communication with Germans is frequently difficult, and [[administration (government)|administrative]] and [[law|legal]] language  because of Austria's exclusion from the development of a German [[nation-state]] in the late 19th century and its manifold particular traditions. A comprehensive collection of Austrian-German legal, administrative and economic terms is offered in ''Markhardt, Heidemarie: Wörterbuch der österreichischen Rechts-, Wirtschafts- und Verwaltungsterminologie'' (Peter Lang, 2006).

Because of German's [[Pluricentric language|pluricentric]] nature, German dialects in Austria should not be confused with the variety of Standard Austrian German spoken by most Austrians, which is distinct from that of [[Germany]] or [[Switzerland]]. In the field of German dialectology, the notion of Standard Austrian German has been both debated and defended by German linguists since the 1970s. A [[One Standard German Axiom]], effectively preventing the development of newer standards of German, has recently been offered as a characteristic of the field but remains to be discussed discipline-internally.<ref>Dollinger, S. (2024). Eberhard Kranzmayer’s dovetailing with Nazism: His fascist years and the ‘One Standard German Axiom (OSGA)’. ''Discourse & Society'', ''36''(2), 147-179. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1177/09579265241259094</nowiki> (Original work published 2025)</ref>

===Former spoken standard===
Until 1918, the spoken standard in Austria was the {{lang|de|Schönbrunner Deutsch}}, a sociolect spoken by the imperial [[Habsburg family]] and the nobility of [[Austria-Hungary]]. The sociolect, a variety of Standard German, is influenced by [[Viennese German]] and other Austro-Bavarian dialects spoken in eastern Austria but is slightly [[nasalization|nasalized]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Johnston | first = William M.| title = The Austrian Mind: An Intellectual and Social History, 1848-1938 | publisher = University of California Press | date = 1972 | pages = 127 | isbn = 9780520049550 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-dmH7FjxassC}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = Rennison | first = J.R. | contribution = Austria: Language Situation | year = 2005 | title = Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics | editor-last = Brown | editor-first = Keith | publisher = Elsevier Science| isbn = 9780080547848}}</ref>{{refn|group=note|1= Some examples of {{lang|de|Schönbrunner Deutsch}}:
* [[Otto von Habsburg]] (2004), former crown prince: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEIHAl01GP4 ''Quo vadis Integration'' lecture]
* Emperor [[Charles I of Austria]] (1916–1918): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMU9FFzez1A Recording] (1.5 min)
* Emperor [[Franz Joseph]] (1848–1916): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jecUwMPk8pE Speech for a military fund] (30 sec)}}

===Special written forms===
For many years, Austria had a special form of the language for official government documents that is known as {{lang|de|Österreichische Kanzleisprache}}, or "[[Austrian chancellery]] language". It is a very traditional form of the language, probably derived from medieval [[deed]]s and documents, and has a very complex structure and vocabulary generally reserved for such documents. For most speakers (even native speakers), this form of the language is generally difficult to understand, as it contains many highly specialised terms for diplomatic, internal, official, and military matters. There are no regional variations because the special written form has been used mainly by a government that has now for centuries been based in Vienna.

{{lang|de|Österreichische Kanzleisprache}} is now used less and less because of various administrative reforms that reduced the number of traditional civil servants ({{lang|de|[[Beamter|Beamte]]}}). As a result, [[Standard Austrian German]] is replacing it in government and administrative texts.

===European Union===
When Austria became a member of the [[European Union]] on 1 January 1995, 23 food-related terms were listed in its [[Treaty of Accession 1994|accession]] agreement as having the same legal status as the equivalent terms used in Germany,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C:1994:241:TOC |title= Documents concerning the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Norway to the European Union |access-date= 24 October 2015 |date= 29 August 1994 |work= European Commission |page= 370 |quote= The specific Austrian terms of the German language contained in the Austrian legal order and listed in the Annex [Protocol No. 10] to this Protocol shall have the same status and may be used with the same legal effect as the corresponding terms used in Germany listed in that Annex.}}</ref> 
for example, the words for "potato", "tomato", and "Brussels sprouts".{{refn|group=note|The 23 food terms of {{lang|de|Protokoll Nr. 10}} is quoted in this article:<ref>{{cite journal |last=Gröller |first=Harald |title=Deutsch oder Österreichisch - Ein kurzer Überblick über die österreichische Sprachpolitik |journal=Internet-Zeitschrift für Kulturwissenschaften |date=2006 |volume=16 |url=http://www.inst.at/trans/16Nr/07_3/groeller16.htm |language=de}}</ref>}} (Examples in "[[#Vocab difference|Vocabulary]]")
Austrian German is the only variety of a [[pluricentric language]] recognized under international law or EU primary law.<ref>Markhardt's ''Das österreichische Deutsch im Rahmen der EU'', Peter Lang, 2005.</ref> The focus on food-related vocabulary in "Protocol 23" is owed to trade requirements and therefore utterly accidental.<ref>De Cillia, Rudolf. 1998. "Burenwurst bleibt Burenwurst": Sprachpolitik und Gesellschaftliche Mehrsprachigkeit in Österreich. Klagenfurt: Drava.</ref>

===Grammar===

====Verbs====
In [[Austria]], as in the [[languages of Switzerland#German|German-speaking parts of Switzerland]] and in [[southern Germany]], verbs that express a state tend to use {{lang|de|sein}} as the [[auxiliary verb]] in the [[perfect (grammar)|perfect]], as well as verbs of movement. [[German verb|Verb]]s which fall into this category include {{Lang|de|sitzen|italic=yes}} (to sit), {{Lang|de|liegen|italic=yes}} (to lie) and, in parts of [[Styria]] and [[Carinthia (state)|Carinthia]], {{Lang|de|schlafen|italic=yes}} (to sleep). Therefore, the perfect of these verbs would be {{Lang|de|ich bin gesessen|italic=yes}}, {{Lang|de|ich bin gelegen|italic=yes}} and {{Lang|de|ich bin geschlafen|italic=yes}}, respectively.

In Germany, the words {{Lang|de|stehen}} (to stand) and {{Lang|de|gestehen}} (to confess) are identical in the present perfect: {{Lang|de|habe gestanden}}. The Austrian variant avoids that potential ambiguity ({{Lang|de|bin gestanden}} from {{Lang|de|stehen}}, "to stand"; and {{Lang|de|habe gestanden}} from {{Lang|de|gestehen}}, "to confess": {{Lang|de|"der Verbrecher ist vor dem Richter gestanden und hat gestanden"}}).

In addition, the [[preterite]] ([[simple past]]) is very rarely used in Austria, especially in the [[spoken language]], with the exception of some [[modal verb]]s ({{Lang|de|ich sollte}}, {{Lang|de|ich wollte}}).

===Vocabulary===
There are many official terms that differ in Austrian German from their usage in most parts of [[Germany]]. Words used in Austria are {{Lang|de|Jänner}} (January) rather than {{Lang|de|Januar}},<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dollinger |first=Stefan |date=2021 |title=Österreichisches Deutsch oder Deutsch in Österreich? {{!}} NID - NetInteractive Documents |url=https://www.nid-library.com/Home/ViewBook/512/15/view |access-date=2025-03-26 |website= |pages=13 |quote=Und 'Jänner' ist hierzulande viel gebräuchlicher als das steife 'Januar'.}}</ref> {{Lang|de|Feber}} (more rare than ''Jänner'') in variation with {{Lang|de|Februar}}, {{Lang|de|heuer}} (this year) along with {{Lang|de|dieses Jahr}}, {{Lang|de|Stiege}} (stairs) along with {{Lang|de|Treppen}}, {{Lang|de|Rauchfang}} (chimney) instead of {{Lang|de|Schornstein}}, many administrative, legal and political terms, and many food terms, including the following:<ref>Otto Back, Erich Benedikt, Karl Blüml, et al.: Österreichisches Wörterbuch (neue Rechtschreibung). Herausgegeben im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur. Auf der Grundlage des amtlichen Regelwerks. 41. circulation, Österreichischer Bundesverlag, Wien 2009, {{ISBN|978-3-209-06875-0}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/35613261|title = Austriazismen in der mitteleuropäischen Küche|journal = Intra- und Interlinguale Zugänge zum Kulinarischen Diskurs I|last1 = Tölgyesi|first1 = Tamás| date=January 2017 }}</ref>

{{anchor|Vocab difference}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Austrian Standard German
!Standard German
!English
|-
|''Brandteigkrapferl''
|''Windbeutel''
|Cream puff
|-
||''Eierspeise'' || ''Rühreier''|| Scrambled eggs
|-
||''Erdapfel (''also Bavarian and Southern German)
| ''Kartoffel'' || Potato
|-
||''Faschiertes'' || ''Hackfleisch'' || Minced meat/Ground beef
|-
||''Fisolen'' || ''Gartenbohnen'' <br>or ''Grüne Bohnen'' || [[Common bean]]s /green beans
|-
||''Karfiol'' (also Bavarian and Southern German)
| ''Blumenkohl'' || Cauliflower
|-
||''Kohlsprossen'' || ''Rosenkohl'' || Brussel sprouts
|-
||''Kren'' (also Bavarian and Southern German)
| ''Meerrettich'' || Horseradish
|-
|''Kukuruz'' (southeastern and western Austria)
|''Mais''
| Maize/corn
|-
||''Marille'' || ''Aprikose'' || Apricot
|-
|''Melange''
|''Milchkaffee''
|Milk heavy coffee drink
|-
|''Melanzani''
|''Aubergine''
|Aubergine/eggplant
|-
||''Palatschinke'' || ''Pfannkuchen'' || Pancake
|-
||''Paradeiser'' <br>(Vienna, Eastern Austria)||''Tomate''|| Tomato
|-
|''Pfefferoni''
|''Peperoni'' or ''Chili''
|Chili pepper
|-
||''Rote Rübe'' || ''Rote Bete'' || Beetroot
|-
||''Sauce Tartare'' || ''Remoulade'' || Tartar Sauce
|-
||''Schlagobers'' || ''Schlagsahne'' || Whipped cream
|-
|''Stanitzel''
|''Eiswaffel''
|Ice cream cone
|-
|''Staubzucker''
|''Puderzucker''
|Icing sugar/powdered sugar
|-
||''Topfen'' (also Bavarian) || ''Quark'' || [[Quark (dairy product)|Quark]], a semi-sweet cottage cheese
|-
|''Weckerl'' (also Bavarian)
|''Brötchen''
|Roll (bread)
|}

There are, however, some [[false friends]] between the two regional varieties:
*{{Lang|de|Kasten}} (wardrobe) along with or instead of {{Lang|de|Schrank}} (and, similarly, {{Lang|de|Eiskasten}} along with {{Lang|de|Kühlschrank}}, fridge), as opposed to {{Lang|de|Kiste}}  (box) instead of {{Lang|de|Kasten}}. {{Lang|de|Kiste}} in Germany means both "box" and "chest".
*{{Lang|de|Sessel}} (chair) instead of {{Lang|de|Stuhl}}. {{Lang|de|Sessel}} means "{{linktext|easy chair}}" in Germany and {{Lang|de|Stuhl}} means "stool (faeces)" in both varieties.