| Barossa German | |
|---|---|
| Barossadeutsch,Barossa-Deutsch | |
 German text in theGruenberg Lutheran church atMoculta. | |
| Region | Barossa Valley,South Australia |
| Ethnicity | German Australians |
| German alphabet | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| IETF | de-u-sd-ausa |
Barossa German (German:Barossadeutsch orBarossa-Deutsch) is adialect ofGerman, predominantly spoken in theBarossa Valley region ofSouth Australia.[1] The prominent South Australian writer,Colin Thiele (1920–2006), whose grandparents wereGerman immigrants, referred to "Barossa-Deutsch" as: "that quaintly inbred and hybrid language evolved from a century of linguistic isolation".[2] It takes its name from theBarossa Valley, where many German people settled during the 19th century. Some words from Barossa German have enteredSouth Australian English.[3]
The first wave ofGerman settlement in Australia began in 1838. German was first spoken in the Barossa Valley in the 1840s, when GermanLutheran settlers fromPrussia arrived in the area.[4]
Use of the German language in Australia declined as a result ofWorld War I. Many Germans wereinterned, and immigration by German people was officially banned between 1914 and 1925. In addition, the German language was actively suppressed by the Australian government during the war. For example, manyplacenames with German origins were changed. Lutheran schools were closed and were re-opened as state schools teaching in English.[5]
There is some evidence that Barossa German was thefirst language of some people in South Australia until the late 20th century.[2] For example,Colin Thiele claimed to have spoken nothing but German until he went to school.[2]
Because most German immigrants to the Barossa were fromPrussia andSilesia, Barossa German is classifiable as aCentral German dialect.[citation needed] It is therefore relatively close toStandard German, when compared to analogous dialects spoken byGerman diaspora communities around the world.
According to linguist Peter Mickan, Barossa German has incorporated some elements ofSouth Australian English, including some Englishvocabulary andgrammatical forms.[6]
The best-known examples of Barossa German vocabulary are words which have been adopted by South Australian English. One such local word with German origins is "butcher", the name given to a 200ml (7fl.oz.) beer glass, which is believed to be derived from the GermanBecher, meaning a cup or mug.[7]
The Barossa is also home tokegel, a variety of nine-pinbowling, which takes place on indoor lanes (Kegelbahn), and is based on traditional German games similar to alleyskittles.[8] The Barossa town ofTanunda still features the Tanunda Kegel Club, founded in 1858.[9]