PP02 focuses on the diversity and dynamics of the various dialects in Austria. Based on a new survey, different research questions will be addressed in the coming years, such as: What differences and changes (eg. through processes of convergence and divergence) can be observed within and between the Austrian dialect regions? What are the alterations in dialect change between urban and rural areas? Are there noticeable generational and gender differences with regard to dialect change? What can a comprehensive comparison of ‘real-time’ and ‘apparent-time’ analyses contribute to a general theory of language change?

To answer these questions, speech samples from a total of 160 dialect speakers, balanced for age and gender, are collected and analysed within the first four years at 40 locations in Austria. Furthermore, samples from selected speakers will be recorded and evaluated under laboratory conditions to determine phonetic peculiarities as precisely as possible. In the second survey phase, complementary recordings will be carried out at another 100 locations in Austria in order to analyse differences and changes between the dialect landscapes in more detail. State-of-the-art dialectometric methods will be used to arrive at probabilistic statements regarding dialect variation and change in Austria.

The analyses will include all linguistic levels from phonetics to syntax and lexis. A documentation of these data will be provided by the first visual and ‘talking’ dialect atlas of Austria.