What language do they speak in Vienna?
One would think the obvious answer is “German”, ya?
German may be the official language, however during my stay I have been making myself understood with a variety of English, German, French and Italian (and given that the only language in which I am moderately fluent is English, it has been quite a comedy)…
Not only that, but the servers at cafes, shops and restaurants seem to talk in a fluid mix of several languages.
Just yesterday I went back to the yummy gelato shop and this was the conversation with me noted as B and the man serving me noted as G (for gelato):
G: Bitte, yes? [German/English]
B: Stracciatella, bitte. [Italian/German]
The man scoops up my yummy stracciatella into a cone and rather than put it into the cone-stand-up-gizmo, hands it to me –
G: Pour vous. [French]
B: Danka! [German] (and I licked the side of the cone as it was about to drip)
G: Deliziosa, si? [Italian]
B: Si! Questo delicioso. [Italian] (I gave him the money and as he gave me the change…)
G: Danke. Au revoir. Caio. [German/French/Italian]
Talk about united nations! LOL!
~ Bella
