Project
Language represents man's fundamental instrument of communication and medium of
cognition. Not only does it reflect and constitute man's social reality, but it
also defines his cultural identity. In Austria, dialects and vernacular can be seen
as the actual mothertongue and are the most frequently spoken language varieties
in every day life. Dialects conserve traditional opinions and mentalities and at
the same time reflect the continual societal changes.
The Dictionary of Bavarian Dialects in Austria (WBO) (gathering of information
since 1911, in publication since 1963) represents the lexicographical benchmark
of (old) Austrian dialects. The basis for the dictionary is the Database of Bavarian
Dialects in Austria (DBO) (~ 5 mio. data entries), which is the product of
15 years of continual research in the field of electronic processing of heterogeneous
dialect data for lexicographical means.
More...