Etymology Austria

first appearance of word ostarrîchi , circled in red. modern austria honours document, dated 996, founding of nation.

the german name austria, Österreich, meant eastern realm in old high german, , cognate word ostarrîchi, first appears in ostarrîchi document of 996. word translation of medieval latin marchia orientalis local (bavarian) dialect. austria prefecture of bavaria created in 976. word austria latinisation of german name , first recorded in 12th century. @ time, danube basin of austria (upper , lower austria) easternmost extent of bavaria, , in fact of germans, @ time territory of former east germany populated slavic sorbs , polabians.

friedrich heer, 20th-century austrian historian, stated in book der kampf um die österreichische identität (the struggle on austrian identity), germanic form ostarrîchi not translation of latin word, both resulted older term originating in celtic languages of ancient austria: more 2,500 years ago, major part of actual country called norig celtic population (hallstatt culture); according heer, no- or nor- meant east or easterns , whereas -rig related modern german reich, meaning realm . accordingly, norig mean same ostarrîchi , Österreich, austria. celtic name latinised noricum after romans conquered area encloses of modern-day austria, around 15 bc. noricum later became roman province in mid-first century ad. heer s hypothesis not accepted linguists.