Vollmann, Ralf [Фольман Р.] 2021. Standard language and dialect in Austria. (1) Вестник МГЛУ 4 (113), 56-68. URI: htp://e-lib.mslu.by/handle/edoc/7003. [ISSN: 1819-7620] [Минский государственный лингвистический университет] Standard language and dialect in Austria (1) Ralf Vollmann University of Graz Abstract. Te German language in Austria is known for a number of particular features based on the local dialects and their interaction with Standard German. Te speakers are competent to apply linguistic variation to their speech in an interplay between dialectal and standard forms. For the description of the ‘mixing’ of the two extremes for producing actual speech, it is useful to apply the sociophonological model of input-switch rules intervening between two (or more) alternative forms (variable rules). Passing from dialect and urban speakers across L1 and L2 learning of Austrian German until the use of dialect in mass me- dia, it is shown that the delicate choice of ISR variables helps explain how sociopragmatic meaning is generated through the application of variation. At the same time, it is shown how dialects are fnally merged into a wider spoken standard language in the framework of a pluricentric language. Keywords: sociophonology, Austrian German, standard language, dialects 1. Background 1.1. German in Austria Te German language consists of a number of dialects; in the South of the German-speaking area, there are two large groups; frstly, the Alemannic area covering the South-West of Ger- many, parts of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the westernmost county of Vorarlberg in Austria; secondly, the Bavarian dialect group covering parts of Germany's Bavaria and Aus- tria; nonetheless, due to diferent linguistic centres, Austrian German can also be distin- guished from Bavarian in Germany. German is therefore grouped among the ‘pluricentric languages’ ([1], [2]). Austrian German dialects can be subdivided into Southern-, Middle/Southern-, and Middle-Bavarian subdialects, roughly distinguishing the Northern, Middle, and Southern parts of the country – including South Tyrol (now part of Italy) and other areas which are no longer German-speaking. In (much) earlier times, the dialects of German were partly not mutually understandable, however, the development of Standard German has approached the dialects to the standard language, and, therefore, also to the other dialects. Te Bavarian dialects of Austria are all mutually intelligible for all speakers, while speakers can usually distinguish local varieties, 1