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{{Redirect|Ostarrîchi|other uses|Austria (disambiguation)|and|Osterreich (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|Name of Australia}}
{{History of Austria}}

The native ([[German language|German]]) name of [[Austria]], {{lang|de|Österreich}}, derives from the [[Old High German]] word {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}} "[[east]]ern [[Reich|realm]]", recorded in the so-called ''{{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}} Document'' of 996, applied to the [[Margraviate of Austria]], a [[March (territory)|march]], or borderland, of the [[Duchy of Bavaria]] created in 976. 
The name is seemingly comparable to ''[[Austrasia]]'', the [[Early Middle Ages|early middle age]] term for the "eastern lands" of [[Francia]], as known from the written records.

The Old High German name parallels the Middle Latin name ''{{lang|la|Marchia Orientalis}}'' ("eastern [[March (territory)|borderland]]"), alternatively called {{lang|la|Marchia austriaca}}.<ref>''Online Etymological Dictionary'', "[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Austria&searchmode=none Austria]"</ref> The shorter Latinized name {{lang|la|Austria}} is first recorded in the 12th century. It has occasionally led to confusion, because, while it renders the Germanic word for "east" it is reminiscent of the native Latin term for "south", {{lang|la|auster}} (see [[Name of Australia]]).

In the 12th century, the Margraviate was elevated to the status of [[Duchy of Austria|duchy]], in 1453 to [[Archduchy of Austria|archduchy]] and from 1804 claiming [[Austrian Empire|imperial]] status, all the time retaining both the name ''{{lang|de|Österreich}}'' and the Latin name ''{{lang|la|Austria}}''.

{{lang|de|[[Ostmark (Austria)|Ostmark]]}}, a translation of ''{{lang|la|Marchia Orientalis}}'' into [[Standard German]], was used officially from 1938, when the country was [[anschluss|incorporated]] into the [[German Reich]], until 1945.

The contemporary state was created in 1955, with the [[Austrian State Treaty]], and is officially called the ''Republic of Austria'' (''{{lang|de|Republik Österreich}}'').

==German name==
{{lang|de|Österreich}} is derived from [[Old High German]] {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}}. The term probably originates as a [[theodiscus|vernacular]] translation of the [[Medieval Latin|Latin]] name {{lang|la|Marchia orientalis}} (eastern borderland).<ref>K. Bosl, ''History of Bavaria'', Darmstadt 1965, 346 note 54 Journal of Bavarian history 18 (1955) 158.</ref> The {{lang|goh|ostar-}} is related to [[Old High German]] {{lang|goh|ōstan}} (eastern), but its exact derivation is unclear.<ref>see [[Ostara]] for a detailed discussion of this word.</ref> Old High German ''[[:wikt:rihhi|rihhi]]'' had the meaning of "realm, domain".

The {{lang|la|[[Marchia Orientalis (Austria)|Marchia orientalis]]}}, also called the Bavarian Eastern March (''[[wikt:ostmark|Ostmark]]''<ref>{{lang|de|Ostmark}} is a reconstruction by 19th century scholars and no Medieval example has been found. (Pohl, Heinz-Dieter, "[http://wwwg.uni-klu.ac.at/spw/oenf/name2.htm Ostarrîchi 996 – 1996]")</ref>) and the [[March of Austria]] ({{lang|la|Marchiam Austriae}}), was a prefecture of the [[History of Bavaria|Duchy of Bavaria]]. It was assigned to the [[House of Babenberg|Babenberg]] family in 976. The variant {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}} is known from a single usage dated 996. Later Medieval documents record the word as either {{lang|goh|Osterrîche}} (official) or as {{lang|goh|Osterlant}} (folk and poetic usage).<ref>"[http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.o/o622377.htm;internal&action=_setlanguage.action?LANGUAGE=en Ostarrîchi]" ''AEIOU Encyclopedia''.<br>Zöllner, Erich, ''Geschichte Österreichs: von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart'' (1990), p. 63.</ref> The variation {{lang|goh|Osterrîche}} is first recorded in 998. {{lang|goh|Marcha Osterriche}} appears on a deed granted by Emperor [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry IV]] and dated 1058.<ref>Gall, Franz, ''Urkundenbuch zur Geschichte der Babenberger in Österreich'' (1997), p. 19. On the basis of this example, {{lang|goh|Mark Osterriche}} has been suggested as the German form for the March of Austria, as {{lang|de|Ostmark}} is unattested.</ref>

[[Friedrich Heer]], a 20th-century Austrian historian, stated in his book {{lang|de|Der Kampf um die österreichische Identität}} (''The Struggle Over Austrian Identity''),<ref>Friedrich Heer: ''Der Kampf um die österreichische Identität''. Böhlau, Wien/Köln/Graz 1981, {{ISBN|3-205-07155-7}}.</ref> that the Germanic form {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}} was not a translation of the Latin word, but both resulted from a much older term originating in the [[Celtic languages]] of ancient Austria: more than 2,500 years ago, the major part of the actual country was called {{lang|mis|Norig}} by the Celtic [[Hallstatt culture]] of the land; according to Heer, {{lang|mis|no-}} or {{lang|mis|nor-}} meant "east" or "easterns", whereas {{lang|mis|-rig}} is related to the modern German {{lang|de|Reich}}, meaning "realm". Accordingly, {{lang|mis|Norig}} would essentially mean the same as {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}} and {{lang|de|Österreich}}, thus ''Austria''. The Celtic name was eventually Latinised to {{lang|la|[[Noricum]]}} after the Romans conquered the area that encloses most of modern-day Austria, in around 15 BC. {{lang|la|Noricum}} later became a [[Roman province]] in the mid 1st century AD.<ref name="Noricum">{{cite web|url=http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.n/n840136.htm;internal&action=_setlanguage.action?LANGUAGE=en|title=Noricum, römische Provinz|work=AEIOU|access-date=20 May 2009}}</ref> Heer's hypothesis is not accepted by linguists.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}

An alternative theory, proposed by the Austrian Slavistics professor Otto Kronsteiner, suggests that the term {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}} is taken from a Slavic toponym {{lang|sla|Ostravica}} meaning 'pointed hill', taking its popular meaning of 'Eastern realm' at a much later time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www-oedt.kfunigraz.ac.at/Seiten/OEDT/oestname.html |title=Heißt Ostarrichi "Spitzberg"? |language=de |access-date=15 February 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050215234158/http://www-oedt.kfunigraz.ac.at/Seiten/OEDT/oestname.html |archive-date=15 February 2005 |work=Der Standard |date=30 November 1996 }}</ref> This theory was rejected as untenable by Austrian linguist Heinz-Dieter Pohl.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://diepresse.com/home/techscience/wissenschaft/360808/index.do?_vl_backlink=/home/techscience/index.do|title=Bairisch auf slawischer Basis|language=de|date=5 February 2008|first=Martin|last=Kugler|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126202540/http://diepresse.com/home/techscience/wissenschaft/360808/index.do?_vl_backlink=%2Fhome%2Ftechscience%2Findex.do|archive-date=26 January 2009|work=Die Presse|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>

Another remoter possibility is that the name comes from the [[Ostrogoths]], who had a [[Ostrogothic kingdom|kingdom]] in what is now Austria and northern Italy.

===Ostarrîchi document===
{{multiple image
 | angle  = left
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 | image1 = Ostarrîchi Document (name circled).jpg
 | alt1 = The Ostarrîchi Document in full
 | image2 = Ostarrîchi Document (zoomed).jpg
 | alt2 = The first appearance of "Ostarrîchi"
 | footer = The first appearance of the word "Ostarrîchi", circled in red and magnified. Modern Austria honours this document, dated 996, as the founding of the nation.
}}

The document was issued by Emperor [[Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto III]] on November 1, 996 in [[Bruchsal]] to Gottschalk von Hagenau, [[Bishop of Freising]]. It is today kept in the {{lang|de|Bayrisches Hauptstaatsarchiv}} in [[Munich]].<ref>''Kaiserselekt 859''</ref>

The historical significance of the document lies in the fact that it is the first time that the name {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}}, the linguistic ancestor of {{lang|de|Österreich}}, the [[German language|German]] name for [[Austria]], is mentioned, even though it applied only to a relatively small territory.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} The document concerns a donation of the "territory which is known in the vernacular as {{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}}" ({{lang|la|regione vulgari vocabulo}} {{lang|goh|Ostarrichi}}), specified as the region of [[Neuhofen an der Ybbs]] ({{lang|la|in loco Niuuanhova dicto}}). The emperor donated this land to the abbey of [[Freising]] as a [[fief]]. The lands and some other communities in the vicinity, which the abbey acquired later, were held until 1803, when they were incorporated into Austria.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}

==Latin name==
The first written mention of the name ''[[Austria]]'' is found in the work [[Historia Langobardorum]] by Paolo Diacono and dates back to 796.

The name {{lang|la|[[wikt:Austria|Austria]]}} is a latinization of German {{lang|de|Österreich}} (that is, the spelling of the name ''Austria'' approximates, for the benefit of Latin speakers, the sound of the German name {{lang|de|Österreich}}). This has led to much confusion{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} as German {{lang|de|Ost}} is "east", but Latin {{lang|la|auster}} is "south". That is why the name is similar to [[Australia]], which is derived from the Latin {{lang|la|[[wikit: Terra Australis|Terra Australis]]}} ("southern land").

The name is first recorded as {{lang|la|Austrie marchionibus}} (Margrave of Austria) on a deed issued by [[Conrad III of Germany|Conrad III]] to the [[Klosterneuburg Monastery]] in 1147.<ref>Cf. Kastner (2007:239).</ref> 
On the [[Privilegium Minus]] of 1156, the name of the country is given as {{lang|la|marchiam Austriae}} ([[March of Austria]]) and as {{lang|la|Austriae ducatum}} ([[Duchy of Austria]]).<ref>Reich, Emil, ''Select Documents Illustrating Mediaeval and Modern History'' (2004), pp. 620–621.</ref> In English usage, "Austria" is attested since the early 17th century.<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary''</ref>

==Other languages==

===Derivations from {{lang|de|Österreich}}===

All Germanic languages other than English have a name for Austria corresponding to {{lang|de|Österreich}}: Afrikaans {{lang|af|Oostenryk}}, Danish {{lang|da|Østrig}}, Dutch {{lang|nl|Oostenrijk}}, West Frisian {{lang|fy|Eastenryk}}, Icelandic {{lang|is|Austurríki}}, Faroese {{lang|fo|Eysturríki}}, Norwegian {{lang|no|Østerrike}} ([[Bokmål]]) or {{lang|nn|Austerrike}} ([[Nynorsk]]) and Swedish {{lang|sv|Österrike}}. Finnish {{lang|fi|Itävalta}} is also derived from the German name: {{lang|fi|itä}} means "[[:wikt:east|east]]" and {{lang|fi|valta}} "state". "Austria" or a phonetic derivative (such as {{lang|hu|Ausztria}}) was adopted in most other languages, including Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Maltese, Ukrainian, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Polish, Slovene, Greek, Estonian, Turkish, and Albanian. French is one of the exceptions within the Romance group in adapting the German name, {{lang|fr|Autriche}}. Catalan also did the same, though the forms are no longer in use. Apart from the modern-day form of Austria, antiquated forms used in [[Catalan language|Catalan]] were {{lang|ca|Hostalric}} and {{lang|ca|Hostalrich}},<ref>"Hostalric" in Alcover, Antoni M.; Moll, Francesc de B.: ''Diccionari català-valencià-balear''. Palma: Moll, 1930-1962. {{ISBN|8427300255}}. Also online at: [http://dcvb.iec.cat/ ''Diccionari català-valencià-balear'' (DCVB)], Institut d'Estudis Catalans.</ref> and {{lang|ca|Estarlich}},<ref>"Estarlich", Alcover, Antoni M.; Moll, Francesc de B.: Diccionari català-valencià-balear. Palma: Moll, 1930-1962. {{ISBN|8427300255}}, Also online at: [http://dcvb.iec.cat/ ''Diccionari català-valencià-balear'' (DCVB)], Institut d'Estudis Catalans.</ref> which are the forms derived in that language to correspond to German {{lang|de|Österreich}}.

===Derivations from Slavic {{lang|sla|němьci}}===

The Arabic name for Austria is {{Transliteration|ar|an-Nimsā}} ({{lang|ar|النمسا|rtl=yes}}). The Arabic appellation of Austria was first used during the Crusades and was borrowed from the Slavic name for "Germans", {{lang|sla|[[nemets|němьci]]}} whence Russian {{lang|ru|немцы}} ({{Transliteration|ru|nemcy}}), Polish {{lang|pl|Niemcy}}, Croatian/Bosnian {{lang|hr|Njemačka}}, Serbian {{lang|sr-Cyrl|Немачка}}/{{lang|sr-Latn|Nemačka}}, Slovene {{lang|sl|Nemčija}}, Czech {{lang|cs|Německo}}, Slovak {{lang|sk|Nemecko}}, etc.

In [[Persian language|Persian]], Austria was called {{Transliteration|fa|an-Namsā}} ({{lang|fa|النمسا|rtl=yes}}) (the same name as Arabic) and when the [[Turkish people|Turks]] later settled in [[Anatolia]] during the [[Ottoman Empire]] era, they borrowed the Arabic name of Austria as well, calling the country ''Nemçe''. Currently, Persian uses the name {{Transliteration|fa|Otrish}} ({{lang|fa|اتریش|rtl=yes}}), derived from the [[French language|French]] pronunciation.

In Romanian, a Romance language, the word {{lang|ro|neamț}} (pl. {{lang|ro|nemți}}) still exists as a Slavic borrowing, used as a colloquial name for Germans, alongside neologism {{lang|ro|german}} (pl. {{lang|ro|germani}}). However, historically, {{lang|ro|nemți}} was also used for Austrians in chronicles, while Austria was called {{lang|ro|Țara Nemțească}} (literally "the Austrian [now German] country").<ref>{{cite book|last=Neculce|first=Ion|author-link=Ion Neculce|date=2001|title=Letopisețul Țării Moldovei|trans-title=The Chronicle of [[Principality of Moldavia|Moldavia]]|url=https://gawrylyta.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/letopisetul-tarii-moldovei-neculce-ion.pdf|language=ro|location=Bucharest, Chișinău|publisher=Litera Internațional|pages=70-71|isbn=9738358337}}</ref> Nowadays, the Romanian name of the country is {{lang|ro|Austria}}, while Austrians are called {{lang|ro|austrieci}} (sg. {{lang|ro|austriac}}).

==={{lang|cs|Rakousko}}, {{lang|sk|Rakúsko}}===

The [[Czech language|Czech]] and [[Slovak language|Slovak]] languages have a peculiar name for Austria. Czech {{lang|cs|[[:wikt:Rakousko|Rakousko]]}} and Slovak {{lang|sk|[[:wikt:Rakúsko|Rakúsko]]}} neither derived from German {{lang|de|Österreich}} nor from Latin {{lang|la|Austria}}. The Czech name of {{lang|cs|Rakousko}}, previously also {{lang|cs|Rakúsy}} and later {{lang|cs|Rakousy}}, which is still used for the states of [[Upper Austria|Upper]] and [[Lower Austria]] ({{lang|cs|Horní, Dolní Rakousy}}), originates in the name of the Austrian castle and town of [[Raabs an der Thaya]] near the Czech-Austrian border, formerly also known as {{lang|mis|Ratgoz}} or {{lang|mis|Ratgos}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/section/abc/what-do-crayfish-reeds-and-austria-have-in-common|title=What do crayfish, reeds and Austria have in common?|website=Radio Prague International|first=Heather|last=Bowne|date=9 January 2005}}</ref> It is worth noting that in his [[Geography (Ptolemy)|Geography]] the ancient writer [[Ptolemy]] mentions two tribes (of unknown ethnic affiliation) named {{lang|la|Racatae}} and {{lang|la|Racatriae}} which inhabit the areas around the Danube River "up to his bend", roughly corresponding to the region north of Vienna and southwestern Slovakia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Periods/Roman/_Texts/Ptolemy/2/10.html|title=The Geography of Claudius Ptolemy — Book II, Chapter 10: Greater Germany|website=penelope.uchicago.edu}}</ref>

Another possible explanation of Czech {{lang|cs|[[:wikt:Rakousko|Rakousko]]}} and Slovak {{lang|sk|[[:wikt:Rakúsko|Rakúsko]]}}: The predecessor of [[Austria]] and [[Slovenia]] was Slovene principality [[Carantania]]. The central part of [[Carantania]] (the territory of present-day southern Austria and north-eastern Slovenia) is named in Slovenian {{lang|sl|Koroška}} (or in the old version {{lang|sl|Korotan}}), in Slovak {{lang|sk|Korutánsko}}, in German {{lang|de|Kärnten}} and in English ''Carinthia''. The Old High German name of [[Austria]] ({{lang|goh|Ostarrîchi}}) appeared in written document more than three hundred years later than the name [[Carantania]], while the shorter Latin name {{lang|la|Austria}} was first mentioned only in 12th century. Therefore is it reasonably to assume that the present-day Czech and Slovak name for [[Austria]] ({{lang|cs|Rakousko}}, {{lang|sk|Rakúsko}}) developed from the original Slavic name for [[Carantania]] since in early middle ages and also later the ancestor of the present-day Slovaks and Slovenes were not divided by the wedge of Germanic or Germanized population.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}{{original research inline|date=October 2020}}

==See also==
* [[History of Austria]] (for a broader historical perspective)
* [[Austrasia]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}

==References==
*{{cite book
  | last = Kastner
  | first = Hugo
  | title = Von Aachen bis Zypern: Geographische Namen und ihre Herkunft
  | location = Baden-Baden
  | publisher = Humboldt Verlags GmbH
  | year = 2007
  | isbn = 978-3-89994-124-1}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Ostarrichi charter}}
*[http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.o/o622377.htm AEIOU Encyclopedia]
*[http://www.noe.gv.at/land-zukunft/geschichte-landeskunde/landessymbole/ostarrichi-urkunde.html Historical information in German]
* {{Austriaforum|AEIOU/Ostarrîchi}}
* Die Ostarrichi-Urkunde, {{LBALink|3160}}
* [[Wikisource]]: [http://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Ostarrichi_in_marcha_et_in_comitatu_Heinrici Text of the document of 996] (Latin)
* Heinz Dieter Pohl: [http://wwwg.uni-klu.ac.at/spw/oenf/name2.htm Pohl: ''Ostarrîchi 996–1996 Tausend Jahre Name Österreich'']

{{Europe topic|Name of|title=Names of European states and territories}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Name Of Austria}}
[[Category:Medieval history of Austria]]
[[Category:Country name etymology|Austria]]