Dialektforschung

Dialect Studies (dialectology): Following early attempts during the age of Humanism ("De Marcomannis" by W. Lazius) and in the 18^th century (C. A. Heumann, Opuscula 1747, L. Hübner, B. Moll-Schrank, C. F. Nicolai, B. Hermann, D. Denis), the scientific study of dialects in Austria and their history experienced a first boom in the 1^st half of the 19^th century (M. Höfer, F. Tschischka, K. Prugger v. Pruggenheim, J. Bergmann, E. Winder, P. Lessiak). The "Bayrisches Wörterbuch" ("Bavarian Dictionary"), edited 1827-1837 by A. Schmeller, also contained many Austrian entries and promoted the publication of Austrian Dialect Dictionaries. The first university lectures on the subject were held by J. Schatz around 1900 at Innsbruck; his example was followed by J. Seemüller and A. Pfalz at Vienna, and L. Jutz at Graz. W. Steinhauser combined dialectology with toponymy, the study of place names. Along with their lexicographic work, A. Pfalz, W. Steinhauser, E. Kranzmayer, P. Wiesinger and M. Hornung also engaged in dialect geography and contributed to the growing importance of the subject.

The central organ of modern dialect studies in Austria is the "Wörterbuchkanzlei" (since 1994 "Institut für Dialekt- und Namenlexika") of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, founded by J. Seemüller in 1911. It has published the "Wörterbuch der bairischen Mundarten in Österreich" ("Dictionary of Bavarian Dialects in Austria", 1^st edition 1963). Other scholars who have contributed greatly to the recording and study of dialects and dialectal variations in Austria are K. Weinhold, A. Hartmann, W. Pailler, J. Schlossar, O. Moro, J. R. Bünker, A. Jeitteles, J. V. Vogl, J. Wirth, M. S. Süß, M. Dengg, M. Schuster, H. Schikola, J. Neubauer, F. Roitinger.

Literature: Die Wiener dialektologische Schule, ed. by P. Wiesinger, 1983.