By nolinguist - 22/11/2009 17:39 - Austria

Today, I arrived in Austria. Within about an hour, I realized that I couldn't understand any "German". Turns out they have a totally different dialect here to anything I was taught in school. I'm here till May. FML
I agree, your life sucks 28 316
You deserved it 18 792

Same thing different taste

Top comments

"ich liebe meine scheide" just say that everywhere you go

remember, the universal language for ordering at a restaraunt is point at the item listed.

Comments

"ich liebe meine scheide" just say that everywhere you go

Hahaha, that's terrible advice. Don't do it.

lol, I guess she knows what that means if she speaks German (except the Austrian dialect, which really is a little different) but I'm sure you'll get used to it and get to know the differences, it's not THAT different! And I'm sure there are some people who speak ordinary German somewhere around, maybe the younger generations, who could teach you about the differences. don't FYL, but Ydon'tDI either.

Anyone else think of the Monty Python Hungarian translation book sketch? =o

PunxsatownyPhil 0

My hovercraft is full of eels. And how did you not know that in your class? Even WITHIN Germany they have different dialects.

Antivirus_fml 0

"Ich bin eine Nutte, und ich tue es kostenlos" Say this instead.

FIB 0

yeah... do it. btw you should try switzerland. try that dialect ;)

actualy, the Austrian just have a specific way of saying things. they say grues got instead of hello, but it's not much different. if you really speak german it will take you about an hour to adapt.

woooooooooooooow 6

Germans say Gruess Gott as well...

Oh you have no clue just how different dialects can be. I was born and raised in Germany, Baden Württemberg to be exact and the first time I went to Bavaria, their dialect was extremely hard for me to understand. It's insane, really. A non-native person would have even more trouble.

If you want to impress them say sth like "oida i bin die greßte schlompn und i fick umasunst!"

Come on! No one leaves school knowing a foreign language! Thinking you do is stupid. They don't teach you the most basic skills!

Cause the purpose of being in a foreign country for months is to learn the language? Hmmmmmmmm let me think about this....

you ******* lazy bastard. why should everybody speak english? why can't you just spend £5 on a phrase book and make a bit of effort? twat

I just gave the OP and option and that doesn't give you any reason to judge me and call me "lazy". Personally i prefer French, rather than English, it's closer to my language. You should go out more.

expen_dable 0

french is closer to what language?

To Romanian. It's like half French. And i learn both French and English at my school.

voveraite 7

@ Rocksygen: Sa inteleg ca ai da-o pe franceza indiferent de limba bastinasilor? aha... OT: I don't believe you OP. Unless you studied extremely little German, in which case you'd have been screwed in Germany as well. I also speak only Hochdeutsch (not first language) and I've never had any troubles in Austria, lol. On the other hand, if your destination was a village, or you were surrounded by old people only, then it's possible...

renaet 0

Don't they speak English in Austria? Just add mate to the end of every sentence.......

Phoenix_GAD 0

I really hope this was a joke. That AUSTRALIA not austria. =/

No, don’t speak English lol! However #46, if you’re not German, Austrian is obviously hard to understand. Even a German person can have trouble with it sometimes. Accents are hard to understand if you are foreign and are learning any language for that matter. But if the OP stays in Austria long enough she’ll get used to it. She also could have checked the country out before going there though…

#55 - I hope YOU are joking. There is a country called Austria in Europe. Hence all the references to Germany. Australia is a completely different place than what the OP is talking about.

lolsan 0
ChocolateEclaire 0

At least in Vienna/Wien, most people speak some English.

ChocolateEclaire 0

Austria is in Europe. Australia is in a completely different hemisphere and is its own continent. I would know, I've been to Austria. People like you make me ashamed to be American.

it depends on the area you are staying at. If you're in the western parts of Austria, such as Vorarlberg or Tirol, the dialect is very very different from "hochdeutsch" and even for me ( i was born and live in Austria) difficult to understand.

Oh my gosh, I didn't know anyone could be so dumb...

you'll get the hang of it by then ;D i can understand german, austrian german, bavarian, swavian, and even some swiss german

get the **** over it, you'll get used to it in the next week or two. unless you're in Tirol, then maybe a wee bit longer!!

agexofxaquarius 2

Well, you have a lot of time there, so you will definitely learn. Don't worry about it.

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It's no like she was like, 'I'm going to live in Austria for a few months but **** learning the language. I've never learnt a language in my life - learning languages is for fags. Why should I learn a language just because I'm going to a country where the primary language isn't English?' No, she spent what was probably a long time learning German; it was just her bad luck that she didn't realise that the dialect is so different to regular 'German' German. I'm not sure what you think her 'attitude' is, or what part of that 'attitude' makes her a 'lazy ******* bastard'?

Well, I'd agree it was good she learned the language, but you'd think OP would research a bit about her destination before going… maybe that way she would have found out the difference in dialects. You shouldn't just go somewhere without looking these things up, so YDI OP.

Even if OP did her research she probably still would've underestimated the differences between Austro-German and regular German. My step-sister is from Germany and was well aware of the fact that a different dialect is spoken in Austria. Yet, when she came to visit for the first time she still was shocked when she realised just how different.

You'll pick up on the language. Trust me. I've lived overseas before. the first 6 - 8 weeks are the worst. but after that 8th week you'll be fine! Austria is GORGEOUS! Enjoy it, eat some delicious chocolate. The hills are alive with the sound of music, go visit the hills. =)

Like most people who study the language in America, you probably just think you know German but really suck at it. Here's your opportunity to actually learn.

No, even germans from the very north and the very south can have huge problems in understanding each other! Really thick dialect down there, we northerns call it foreign country XD And austria isn't even germany, it is even more south and foreign.

remember, the universal language for ordering at a restaraunt is point at the item listed.