Introduction to the research

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My name is Mason Wirtz and I am a PhD candidate at the University of Salzburg. The goal of my study is to better understand how German as a second language learners in Austria deal with dialect and standard German in Austria’s present-day linguistic landscape across different situations. This includes exploring which factors influence German as a second language learners’ ability to navigate Austria’s rich language variation. While this research area is only in its beginning stages, I hope these results will be the springboard we need to develop more accurate and scientifically founded pedagogical material for aiding expats and immigrants in better dealing with the language variation in Austria at the beginning of their journey abroad.