Sprachinseln#

Speech enclave: A much larger number of speech enclaves have been established in neighbouring countries by Austria than by any other German-speaking country. This was due to its south-eastern position, the manorial system, political and religious questions, the people´s pioneering attitude as well as economic interests (mining and clearing of arable land). The oldest Austrian speech enclaves, dating from around 1100, are the so-called Cimbrian Enclaves of the seven and thirteen towns and villages in the provinces of Vicenza and Verona (Italy), the settlement of Lusern in Trentino (South Tyrol, Italy) that has derived from them is considerably younger. The Carnian Enclaves, Pladen (Sappada, province of Belluno, Italy), Zahre (Sauris) and Tischelwang (Timau, both province of Udine, Italy) and the Fersental valley in Trentino date from the 13th century. In Slovenia Zarz (Sorica) and Rut formed part of the older group, while Gotschee (Kočevje) belonged to that of the 13th century. The Czech enclaves, whose inhabitants were resettled in 1945, Bruenn (Brno), Wischau (Vyškov), Iglau (Jihlava) and Budweis (Ceske Budějovice) have a long history. In Hungary, along with the mining settlement of Deutschpilsen (Nagyloerzseny) in western Hungary, founded around 1200, are later settlements near Budapest. In the 18th century the Landler people were sent to what is Romania today because of their Protestant creed. The Hutterites, as a Baptist community, had to leave their homes in Pustertal/Val Pusteria (Italy) and Upper Carinthia 400 years ago, but still maintain their language (old Austrian German) in their new home in the USA. Speech enclaves are valuable historical testimony of language and culture and serve as models for research on phenomena such as contacts between languages and their mutual influences.

Literature#