| LANGUAGE SCHOOL |
 GERMAN
LANGUAGE |
 |
German Language in Austria
With more than 120 million people speaking German in 8 countries
of the world, it is hardly surprising that the actual usage of German
language varies.
What is Standard German?
Standard German is the "pure, dialect-free pronunciation of
German" (Brockhaus).
The development of Standard German:
Standard German as a language did not develop out of one regional
dialect but was artificially created by poets, philosophers and
scholars. In the 16th century Martin Luther translated the ‘The
Holy Bible’ into a German language which was as devoid as possible
of regional features by consciously merging dialects. He wanted
as many people as possible to understand the text of his German
language Bible. The 18th century with Goethe and Schiller at their
zenith brought about a further standardization of the German language.
Which German is spoken in Austria?
The language spoken in Austria is German. It is a correct and
pure form of German that is melodious and pleasant to the ear.
The German as used in Austria strongly resembles the German language
as used in Southern Germany. The differences are often exaggerated
and are considerably less than the linguistic divergence of Germany's
North. (See map)
At ActiLingua Academy you learn the standard German language according
to a recognized curriculum. The course books you’ll work with
are the same as those used in the best German language schools.
Map of German usage in Austria,
Germany and Switzerland
Low German (Northern Germany): This region
did not take part in the second sound shift. It strongly derivates
from the German as used below the Benrath line (marked red)!
Middle German (Central Germany) and High German (Southern Germany,
Bavaria and Austria) strongly resemble each other and have been
the foundation of standard German. Switzerland's vernacular is
Swiss German (Switzertütsch) and derivates strongly from
standard German.
|
