Languages of Austria
German, the native language of the majority of the population of Austria is defined by the constitution as a state language. In addition, the languages of some linguistic minorities are legally well protected.
Recognised minority languages in Austria
Burgenland Croatian, Romani, Slovak, Slovenian, Czech and Hungarian are the proprietary languages of indigenous minorities in Austria. The recognition of minority rights of the Croatian and Slovenian minority in Burgenland, Carinthia and Styria ( and therefore the recognition of languages) is enshrined in Article 7 of the State Treaty of 1955. The recognition of the Hungarian language in four municipalities of Burgenland follows from the adopted on the basis of the Minorities Act Official Languages Ordinance for Hungarian.
Moreover, the Austrian sign language as language of a non- ethnic minority since 1 September 2005 constitutional (Article 8, paragraph 3 of the Federal Constitutional Law ) a recognized minority language.
A high number of speakers of other languages, especially the Turkish and the languages of the former Yugoslavia, some of which are also Austrian nationals have today, although their center of life in Austria, their languages but do not fall under the protection of minorities rights and are therefore in the schools not taken into account. Other minority languages and idioms of indigenous groups in Austria as the so-called Windische ( Slovene dialects in Carinthia and Styria ) or Jeni were not placed under the protection of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.
Arrangements for official and the language of instruction
The minorities in certain regions right to mother tongue education. Burgenland-Croatian and Slovenian in some judicial districts of Styria, Burgenland and Carinthia, Hungarian in four municipalities of Burgenland (Carinthian Slovenes, Croats in Burgenland, Burgenland Hungarians ) in addition to the German language an official language. Sign language users have to use Austria far right, in administrative and judicial matters ASL, and the right to an interpreter - to class, there is no control.
Regulations on topographical signs
Also live in places with a certain proportion of members of indigenous ethnic groups bilingual topographical signs to install. These rights covered by the National Minorities Act of 1976 were closer in Burgenland complete in 2000, not implemented in Carinthia only partially and in Styria. By a decision of the Constitutional Court of 2001, which repealed parts of this ethnic group law as unconstitutional, but both in Burgenland and Carinthia need additional bilingual topographical signs are attached (see signpost dispute ).