German (German Deutsch, deutsche Sprache) is the language of Germans, Austrians, Liechtensteiners and most of the Swiss, the official language of Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, one of the official languages of Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium. Belongs to the Indo-European family of languages (Germanic branch). Writing based on the Latin alphabet.
as official main language
Germany (about 80 million speakers)
Austria (7.5 million speakers)
Liechtenstein
as one of the official languages
Belgium (along with French and Dutch)
Italy (at the level of the South Tyrol region, along with Italian; about 300 thousand speakers)
Luxembourg (about 300 thousand speakers; used along with Luxembourgish and French)
Switzerland (75% German, 4-6 million speakers, used along with French, Italian and Romansh)
as a language of national minorities
Argentina - 300,000
Australia - 150,000
Brazil - 1,900,000
Hungary - 145,000
Denmark - 20,000
Kazakhstan - 358,000
Canada - 128,350
Latvia - 3780
Lithuania - 2060
Moldova - 7300
Namibia - 30,000
Netherlands - 47,775
Paraguay - 200,000
Poland - 173,000
Romania - 70,000
Russia: European part - 75,000, Siberia - 767,300
Slovakia - 12,000
Ukraine - 38,000
France - 1,200,000
Croatia - 11,000
Czech Republic - 50,000
Chile - 150,000
Estonia - 3460
USA - 1,483,100
There are German speaking areas in France (Alsace and Lorraine)
The German language belongs to the West Germanic subgroup of the Germanic languages and is the official language. official language such states as the Federal Republic of Germany (about 76-77 million speakers), Austria (7.5 million people), Liechtenstein, as well as one of the official languages of Switzerland (4.6 million speakers, or 72.4% of the population), Luxembourg and Belgium. Significant groups of the German-speaking population also live in France, Italy, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland and Romania, but the latter do not belong to the group of German-speaking countries.
German dialects
Literary German (Hochdeutsch) is the common language used in education, office work, official institutions, etc. There are many regional dialects of the German language, such as German Plato (Low German), which is spoken in the north of the country (it is somewhat similar to Dutch and closer to English than literary German), Swabian in the southwest, Bavarian in the south, and Saxon in the southeast. Austria and Switzerland use their own national versions of the literary German language (respectively, Austrian and Swiss, which should not be confused with the Austro-Bavarian or Swiss dialects), which differ in some features of phonetics, morphology and vocabulary.
The three largest German-speaking countries can be abbreviated DACH (dah) from D (Germany, Deutschland), A (Austria (lat. Austria) and CH (Switzerland, lat. Confoederatio Helvetica). The abbreviation is used mainly for the names of events, conferences, for example, " DACH Meteorologentagung" or for common projects of these three countries. There are also electronic maps of the same name for navigators.
German is one of the most commonly used languages in the world, ranking tenth in popularity among all languages. It is also one of the most widely spoken languages: German is spoken by more than 100 million people worldwide. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the German language itself is heterogeneous, which creates additional difficulties for identifying the exact number of speakers of it. Some German dialects and dialects that belong to the West Germanic language continuum can no longer be attributed to the proper German language, so the number of people who speak them is not taken into account.
The official German language is:
in Germany (about 80 million people; see German language in Germany);
Austria (7.57 million; see German in Austria);
Liechtenstein (35.36 thousand people).
German is one of the official languages:
Switzerland (used along with French, Italian and Romansh; about 67% of the Swiss speak German (5 million people); see German in Switzerland);
Luxembourg (along with Luxembourgish and French; about 474 thousand people);
Italy (at the level of the South Tyrol region, along with Italian; about 330 thousand people);
Belgium (along with French and Dutch; 78 thousand people).
Minority language
German is one of the official languages of the European Union and also one of the working languages along with English and French. In Europe, German is the second most widely spoken language after English.
German is also used in many sports regional and international federations (for example, FIBA, FIFA, UEFA, etc.), and is one of the languages of ESA and EPO.
But in a conversation with friends and acquaintances, a lot is said in dialect. It is very difficult to understand each other when people speak their own dialects. But standard German, or as they say, "high German", is understood by everyone.
If no one has any doubts about learning English, then other languages are rarely chosen as the target. For example, when choosing German, a student immediately has a question - where does he need it in everyday life?
Meanwhile, German is native to 100 million people. It is used not only in Germany, but also in other European countries at the official level. But in Germany itself, not all residents speak German.
Historically, the country, which once consisted of small principalities, has formed different dialects. Where else this language is common, as well as how German dialects differ, we will tell in this article!
Where and why is German spoken?
At the state level, German is widespread not only in the territory of Germany. It is also official in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium and Luxembourg. Moreover, in other countries a literary version is used, and in Germany itself there are a lot of dialects.
Most German-speaking countries are located on the border with Germany. Historically, their territories were dominated by this representative of the western subgroup of the Germanic languages. Of course, over the centuries of history, each locality has modified the language into its own dialect. But the literary version is still officially recognized.
Dialects of German in Germany
On the territory of Germany, under the influence of historical, cultural and geographical factors, many dialects were formed. Their varieties belong to the dialect continuum along with the Dutch language. However, the standard language, or Hochdeutsch, is used officially in all German-speaking countries.
In general, all German dialects can be classified into three groups: Low German and High German, plus South German dialects. Each group includes several more dialects that have been formed due to historical and geographical factors. There are also national forms of the language, such as Austrian German or Swiss.
Literary German. Is it generally accepted everywhere?
If officially in all these countries a literary variant called HochDeutsch is recognized as the state, then in reality this is not so. Directly in Germany, of course, all life passes with hochdeutsch - it is used by all the media, it is studied at school.
But Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland have their own dialect of German, which is not very similar to the traditional one. Moreover, some countries, such as Switzerland, where the Germans live more than 60% of the population, attended to subtitles on HochDeutsch. But they go only when showing news and information programs; when broadcasting entertainment programs, the national version of the language is used.
Why is German recognized as the state language in Austria?
The history of this country has developed in such a way that its people have always been closely connected with the Germans. Due to its geographical proximity to Germany, it has always been part of the German-speaking states. Before the name Austria was first heard, this territory belonged to Bavaria. Not surprisingly, the local dialect is based on Bavarian and differs from the literary variant.
Can a German and an Austrian speak freely with each other?
Although German seems to be officially recognized in Austria, there is a huge gap between Austrians and Germans in speech. Each of them considers their own version of the language to be correct, so the inhabitants of Austria even communicate in their own dialect. In order to be fluent in Austrian speech, it is not enough to know German. Tourists also have to get acquainted with the dialect of this country in order to understand the locals.
What languages are actually spoken in Belgium?
In Belgium, this language is also recognized at the state level along with Dutch and French. But here it rather refers to communication between linguistic minorities, since the German diaspora is small, just over 70 thousand inhabitants (out of 11 million). The German-speaking population lives in nine municipalities. After the war, an active policy of de-Germanization was carried out here, so the locals consider themselves more Belgians than Germans.
Where else can you learn German?
German is popular wherever the German diasporas live. They are scattered all over the world and are found in almost every developed country. For example, in France there are slightly more than 1.2 million German-speaking residents, in the USA - 1.1 million, in Brazil 900 thousand people consider it native, and in Russia - more than 800 thousand people who speak German from birth. Not surprisingly, German is often studied in European countries as a second foreign language. Even in Russia, in some schools, you can optionally choose it for study.
German is quite common in the world, and if you want to learn it, then there is no doubt. It will be useful not only in Germany, but also in other countries!
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The German language is one of the most popular in Europe - it is spoken by about 100 million people living in various countries, it is considered official language European Union. That is why it is so important to know where they speak German and in which states and regions it is useful for business and everyday communication.
What language is spoken in Germany
It is generally accepted that in Germany everyone speaks German, however, as practice shows, this is not always the case. The fact is that until the 19th century, Germany consisted of fragmented lands, principalities, duchies, each of which had its own special dialect.
Today, the literary variant, which has the name "Hoch Deutsch", is considered to be the state one. Newspapers are printed on it, TV shows are produced, teaching is conducted in schools and universities, while in life the Germans actively use Berlin, Bavarian, Cologne and other dialects that differ significantly from the literary model.
Residents of all regions of Germany consider themselves to be the bearers of true linguistic traditions, therefore dialects are not considered as vernacular - rather, they are historically developed linguistic varieties.
Dialect variants are used in the preparation of local television broadcasts, in some theaters, in communication on the territory of the federal states, and also as regional models: for example, the EU officially recognizes the Low Saxon dialect as a special variety of German.
Which countries in the world speak German?
Since Germany has always played a special role in the cultural, business and socio-political life of Europe, it is not surprising that its language is widely spoken in neighboring states. At present, in addition to the inhabitants of Germany, German is spoken in Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein, as well as in the part of Belgium bordering Switzerland, whose inhabitants consider themselves German speakers.
According to experts, the Austrian version of German is most similar to "Hoch Deutsch", but at the same time, the average German and Austrian cannot always understand each other, since Austria still uses a special language variety.
There are even more differences between the Swiss and Luxembourgish versions, so when news or TV programs are broadcast in the local dialect, simultaneous translation into “Hoch Deutsch” is launched below - without this, the population of Germany and other German-speaking countries is practically unable to understand what is being said.
Where do German diasporas exist?
The spread of the German language in the world is not limited to those countries where German is spoken mainly. For many historical reasons, large German diasporas exist in the United States, states South America and Africa. There are German settlements on the territory of Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic and other countries.
Significant communities of Germans live in Denmark, France (Alsace and Lorraine - northeast of the Moselle department), Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania (Romanian Germans).
For example, about a million Alsatians in France speak Alamani German, which is recognized as a regional dialect in Alsace.
Approximately 300,000 Tyroleans in Italy consider themselves Germans. And German in the province of Bolzano is considered official along with Italian.
In Upper Silesia in Poland, German is also considered a regional language, with up to 200,000 German-speaking people living here.
If we consider in a broader aspect, in which countries the German language is spoken, it is worth noting the states of South America in particular. So, in the south of Brazil, about 600 thousand inhabitants speak German, and up to 40% of the population consider themselves descendants of the Germans. In the northern part of Mexico, 300,000 inhabitants named German as their mother tongue. And the list of these countries can be continued.
Finally
German is used in their work by many international organizations, it has long been recognized in the world as international language. So, in the Council of Europe, he is considered a worker along with English and French.
A huge number of residents of European countries who speak German, and the recognition of Germany as the leader of modern Europe, contribute to the growth of the importance of this language, which is currently being actively studied in schools and universities in Russia and other countries.
Top 10 countries where German is spoken: Video
German is the mother tongue of 100 million people worldwide. In total, about 120 million people speak German. The first German dictionary was created by Johan Christoph Adelung in 1781. And in 1852, the Jacob brothers began to compile new dictionary. Work on it was completed only by 1961. Now it is constantly updated with new words. German grammar was normalized during the 19th century.
Where is German spoken and why?
Those who are interested in which countries speak German are probably aware of its prevalence throughout Europe. German is second only to English. The spread of German is connected not only with cultural characteristics, but also with business necessity.
Some believe that only knowledge is enough for a successful career in English. But this is far from true. First, German is the official language of the European Union. In which countries is German spoken and where is it official? After Germany, these are Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium. Secondly, to work in many concerns and enterprises in Germany and even Europe, knowledge of the German language is required.
Why is German the official language in Austria?
Anyone who is looking for an answer to the question "In which countries do they speak German?", For sure heard about Austria. German is spoken here, first of all, because of the historical past of this country. IN different time Austria was part of the empires and kingdoms in which German was spoken.
The inhabitants of this country use a special dialect - Bavarian. The very name "Austria" was first mentioned only in the 18th century. Prior to that, Austria was part of Bavaria. Interestingly, throughout its history, Austria has also been part of such entities as the Holy Roman Empire, Austria-Hungary and the Third Reich.
Will a German and an Austrian be able to understand each other?
The dialect of the German language in Austria is so different from the generally accepted literary language that even a German and an Austrian cannot always understand each other. That is why the question "In which countries speak German other than Germany" is not entirely correct. Some researchers are convinced that if Austria were geographically more distant from Germany, then the Austrian dialect of German would eventually become a separate language. And this one new language it would no longer be possible to distinguish from the original version.
In what countries do people speak German besides Austria? Another state in which German is adopted as an official language is Switzerland. However, not everything is so simple here either. The Swiss use official German only in writing. Everyday conversation they conduct in the local dialect. Even instead of the word Danke, which means "Thank you", they pronounce the word that came from the French Merci. Interestingly, in fact, English is now the most popular in Switzerland. Even the graffiti on the walls here like to write in English. And the inhabitants of Zurich call their city Little big city - "small big city".
What languages are actually spoken in Belgium?
German, along with Flemish and French, is the official language of Belgium. Education there can be obtained on any of them. However, the de facto inhabitants of this country speak only Flemish and French. Most are Flemings - immigrants from Flanders. In the southern part of the country, the Walloons live - representatives of the French-speaking ethnic group. Close to eastern border Switzerland has a small population that mainly communicates in German.
Interestingly, for successful employment, any resident of Belgium needs to be fluent in both Flemish and French. The French-speaking population, on the other hand, has long been known for its dislike of why learn a language, say French-speaking Belgians, which is spoken by only 6 million people? Although if you add to this figure, you get a slightly larger figure - 22 million people.
Dialects of German in Germany
In fact, the question "In which countries do people speak German officially?" in a certain sense will not sound quite right. The fact is that not many residents of German-speaking countries use the generally accepted literary version of the German language. Even in Germany, a huge variety of German dialects are spoken. These are Berlin, Kölsch ("Kelsh", a dialect of the city of Cologne), Bavarian and Berlin dialects, and many others. The literary version on which news is broadcast on television and newspapers are printed is called Hoch Deutsch ("Hoch Deutsch").
Literary German. Is it generally accepted everywhere?
Now almost every diversified university graduate can list in which countries German is spoken. However, this does not mean that German in the traditional sense is actually used in these regions. Literary German does not apply to countries such as Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. At the same time, Austrian German is considered to be most similar to the German spoken in Germany.
Interestingly, in Switzerland and Luxembourg, when showing news, you can see subtitles on literary language HochDeutsch. Most of entertainment programs and radio broadcasts take place in the local German language. When traveling to Germany, you must also remember the following rule: you can never tell a German that he speaks a dialect, since the representative of each region considers his version of German to be the only correct one.
German dialect and features of the Swiss mentality
From the Swiss-German language, however, some new concepts have emerged that have become universally recognized. For example, this is the well-known word "muesli". And also "resti", or "resti" - the name of the traditional Swiss potato pancakes. They say it's Swiss folk character- this is a bizarre mixture of the spirit of the peasant and the thrifty banker.
For example, the Swiss often say: "It's dark as a cow." Most likely, this phrase originated somewhere in the peasant hinterland, on alpine pastures. Another proverb that came to Sweden from the German language is also known: Die Morgenstunde hat Gold im Munde. Literally, it translates as "The morning hour carries gold in the mouth" - its analogue can be the Russian "Who gets up early, God gives him."
However, in addition to confusion with German dialects, the Swiss have more to think about. After all, there are four official languages in this country - in addition to German, these are Romansh, Italian and French. Therefore, on the package of Swiss milk there is hardly any place for the image of a cow - the entire package is dotted with the composition and storage rules in all four languages.
Where else can you learn German?
In addition to interest in which countries speak German, the list can be replenished with those states where German is studied as part of the school curriculum. Hoch Deutsch is studied as foreign language in Scandinavian countries, Holland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and even Japan. And also German is often taught in secondary schools in Belarus.
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Books
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