Research questions

In science and in the media expressions like “voll krass”, “echt fett”, “megageil” are described as typical and prominent examples for the communication among young people in German-speaking areas. It is barely researched, if also young people in Austria use such expressions in their communication, and if there are also specific patterns concerning other linguistic levels (for example syntax), which young people in Austria prefer.

Hence, the project “Youth language(s) in Austria” focuses on the following research questions:

• To what extent does the dialect in Austria have influence on youth speech; are there differences between urban and rural areas and if so, in which forms are they expressed and by which factors are they determined?

• To what extent does the language usage of young people with migration background have influence on the linguistic behaviour within mixed-ethnic groups? What role can be ascribed to dialect use and how is it functionalized?

• Is there a specific age-preferential register in urban areas based on effects of migration, which differs from the comparable rural areas?

• Can a reinforced dialect use among adolescents in Austria generally be assumed in comparison to adolescents in Germany and Switzerland or is this only true for rural areas?

• Apart from age- and group-specific manners of speech, are there also gender-specific differences? Are there any indications of gender-specific communication situations and communication patterns?