Fun With Austrian German!

There are so many reasons why it is nice to be a native English speaker. That being said, there is one particular problem for non-native speakers have that I am glad that I don't: having to keep British and American English straight. This isn't true everywhere (Japan and the Philippines are two exception), but the majority of people learning English in the world are taught British English in school and then are bombarded with American English in movies, television, and music. The two tend to get a little mixed. It is a problems for people studying things involving English at university because while both American or British English are accepted you can't mix and match. Then there is the added factor that if you tell me about the 'fancy dress' you bought for Halloween and not the 'costume' I am likely to either be bewildered, laugh at you or both. Perhaps because of this good Christian tolerance of difference I have been rewarded with Austrian German, which has oh so many different word, word that are likely to get you laughed at in Germany but that are the only words used here.

And now a list:

English German Austrian
Steps Treppen Stiege

Gyro Döner Kebab

Roll (bread) Brotchen Semmel

* Federweisser Sturm

potatoe Kartoffel Erdapfel

Idiot Ö–sterreicher Deutsche/Piefke

Tomato Tomate Paradiser**

Muzzle Maulkorb Beisskorb

*I don't know what this on is called in English, it is very young whine from the same year, sweet , and surprisingly cloudy (thAustrianns word means 'storm' or 'tempest)

**So I like the name Paradiser, it has the word 'paradise' in it which I thought was pretty cool, but my German friends hate it. Apparently a slang term for a condom is 'Pariser,' which just sounds a little too similiar.