Do Austrians speak Austrian or German?

Answer 1

This is rather like asking whether Americans speak American or English. Austrians speak German, or at least a variety thereof. In fact, according to some, the Austrians speak the purest German of all the German-speaking world; High German is prevalent amongst the Austrian people.

Answer 2

The Austrian dialect of German.

Answer 3

It is officially German, but there are a lot of variations and quite a lot of words which a German would not necessarily understand. This is due to the Hungarian and even Turkish influences in the local dialect, so I guess one could be cheeky and actually say that Austrian is a language in its own right... ;o)

Examples for weird Austrian words: Kukuruz, Karfiol, Paradeiser etc. These could not even be properly guessed by a German.

Answer 4

Austrian Is a dialect of German, just as are Bavarian, Swabish or Alsacian. There can be some variations in vocabulary or pronunciation from "standard" German, but they are all generally intercomprehensible. Certainly, a German from the Rhinelands or the North would have less trouble understanding an Austrian than an American would with a Geordie or cockney.

Answer 5

German

Answer 6

In Austria they speak a German dialect.
When they write, it is German.
In Southern Austria they don’t speak Swiss.
If a Swiss person wrote what he says, no German
nor Austrian would understand him right away.
(Chasch chuum glaube, gäll!)
Swiss is only spoken in Switzerland!!!

So Austrian is German, however it is pronounced!
Most speakers from these different regions understand one another,
at least when they switch to their version of standard German.

You are welcome

Answer 7

A Dialect of German

Answer 8

Hmm all the Austrians I know speak English. One of them also does speak Swiss. The language of Austria is German, though.

Answer 9

There`s not such thing like Austrian, but they might have a slight different accent while speaking it.....but there is Swiss German.

Answer 10

They speak German