Robert Sedlaczek

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Robert Sedlaczek (2014)

Robert Sedlaczek (born April 2, 1952 in Vienna ) is an Austrian journalist and non-fiction author . He is best known for his works on aspects of the German language. In addition, he writes books and articles on cultural-historical topics. In his book The Aunt Jolesch and Her Time. A research he traced the history of the industrial family of the same name and of the lawyer Hugo Sperber . These people are characters in Friedrich Torberg's book Die Tante Jolesch .

Life

Robert Sedlaczek studied German , English and journalism in Vienna and earned a doctorate in philosophy . From 1973 to 1978 he worked as an editor for the United Press International news agency . After working as a freelance journalist, including for the Extrablatt magazine , he became press spokesman for Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky in 1980 , and later for Ferdinand Lacina . From 1986 to 1990 he was a member of the board of trustees of the ORF , from 1989 to 2003 managing director of the Österreichischer Bundesverlag . Since 2005 he has been working as a columnist in the features section of the Wiener Zeitung , and since 2009 he has been writing the section “German for Journalists” for the industry magazine “Der Österreichische Journalist”. He publishes books in Amalthea Signum Verlag , Innsbrucker Haymon Verlag , Edition Atelier , Vienna, and Ueberreuter Verlag, Vienna.

Sedlaczek has been married to Melita Sedlaczek since 1988, who also supports him as a co-author of his books, and has a stepdaughter whom he adopted as a child. Sedlaczek lives in Vienna and Neulengbach , a town on the western edge of the Vienna Woods.

In 1994 Sedlaczek and co-author Werner Schima received the Steinfeder Prize for wine journalism of the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus for the Austrian wine guide Unser Wein, which was published several times at the time .

Taboo words in the German language

In his book “The Indecent Lexicon. Taboo words in the German language and their origin ”, written together with Christoph Winder, the long-time column head of the Viennese daily Der Standard , he documents the great regional variety of these words, from Low German to Bavarian. The dictionary contains information on the etymology of these expressions as well as references from the entire German-speaking area, namely from folk songs, shake rhymes, cabaret programs, Internet sources, newspapers and literary works. In an introductory essay, the authors analyze the function and word formation patterns of the taboo words.

Austrian German

Sedlaczek is also dedicated to researching and describing the German language, with a special focus on language change and Austrian characteristics.

The "Dictionary of everyday language in Austria" documents the vocabulary that is used in everyday communication with more than 2,500 entries. Words from all dialects in Austria are also documented as examples. The “Dictionary of Viennese” is much more extensive with around 3,000 words, but only contains those words that are valid as part of the Viennese vocabulary.

Both books substantiate the words with quotations from films, hits, cabaret programs, etc. They also contain precise etymological information.

In his book “If is not undignified. Red-white-red markings through the thicket of language “Sedlaczek illuminates disputes over spelling, grammar and style from an Austrian perspective. It shows where journalists make capital mistakes and explains how these mistakes can be avoided. Sedlaczek criticizes the author Bastian Sick for his strictly normative view. Some rules that Sick requires to be observed have long since been thrown overboard by grammarians. In contrast, he himself takes a descriptive approach and describes how the rules of language change, whereby national and regional customs also play a major role. According to his own definition, he does not see himself as a “language policeman” but as a “language observer”.

The differences between the Austrian and the German vocabulary are examined in his book “Das Österreichische Deutsch”. It is considered a popular scientific standard work on this subject.

The “Small Handbook of Threatened Words in Austria” deals with the penetration of North German and Anglo-American expressions into the language of Austrians. In around 50 contributions, the author describes the rivalry between words with similar meanings but different origins.

Collaboration with the illustrator Martin Czapka

Since 2016 Robert Sedlaczek has been working with the illustrator Martin Czapka, who runs an advertising studio in Vienna. Martin Czapka illustrated the books Austrian for Beginners , Austria for Advanced and Austrian fia Fuaßboifäns published by Amalthea , as well as those by Ferd. Piatnik & Sons published quiz games Das neue Österreich Quiz and Challenge Austria .

Commitment to tarot

Sedlaczek is a sponsor of the tarot games. The great tarot book , written with Wolfgang Mayr and Roland Kronigl, and the strategy of the tarot game , written with Wolfgang Mayr, can be seen as standard German-language works on this card game group. In 2003, together with Wolfgang Mayr, he founded the Vienna Tarock Cup in the King Call variant and initiated a final of the Austrian tournament series, which is held annually in Casino Linz. Sedlaczek is also the main initiator of the reintroduction of the Hungarian tarot in Austria. In his tarot columns in the Wiener Zeitung from 2005 to 2018, together with Wolfgang Mayr, he gave tactical tips for the tarot variants common in Austria; he is currently writing a similar series with his wife Melita for the Upper Austrian Volksblatt . The latest publication on the subject is the cultural history of the tarot game, edited with Wolfgang Mayr . Stories about tarot and its famous players .

Works

  • Language jokes. The forms. The techniques. The Jewish roots. Haymon, 2020. ISBN 978-3-7099-3494-4
  • Austrian for advanced learners. A cheerful lexicon in collaboration with Melita Sedlaczek. Illustrated by Martin Czapka Amalthea, Vienna 2018. ISBN 978-3-99050-118-4
  • Austrian for beginners. A cheerful lexicon in collaboration with Melita Sedlaczek. Illustrated by Martin Czapka Amalthea, Vienna 2017. ISBN 978-3-903083-61-5
  • Austrian fia Fuaßboifäns. A cheerful lexicon in collaboration with Melita Sedlaczek. Illustrated by Martin Czapka Amalthea, Vienna 2016. ISBN 978-3-99050-038-5
  • The cultural history of the tarot game. Stories about tarot and its famous players . (with Wolfgang Mayr), Edition Atelier, Vienna 2015. ISBN 978-3-903005-11-2
  • The indecent lexicon. Taboo words in the German language and their origin . (with Christoph Winder), Haymon-Verlag, Innsbruck 2014. ISBN 978-3-7099-7136-9
  • Aunt Jolesch and her time. A research . (with Melita Sedlaczek and Wolfgang Mayr), Haymon-Verlag, Innsbruck 2013. ISBN 978-3-7099-7069-0
  • The Radio Tirol dictionary of Tyrolean dialects . (Co-author of Hans Moser), Haymon-Taschenbuchverlag, Innsbruck 2013. ISBN 978-3-85218-948-2
  • Viennese word stories. About cobblestone deer and winter swallows . (read by Christian Spatzek, Robert Sedlaczek and Reinhard Badegruber), edition-o at Verlag Schwarzer, Vienna 2013. ISBN 978-3-99022-077-1
  • Viennese word stories. About cobblestone deer and winter swallows . (with Melita Sedlaczek and Reinhard Badegruber), Haymon-Verlag, Innsbruck 2012. ISBN 978-3-7099-7017-1
  • Dictionary of Viennese . (with Melita Sedlaczek), Haymon Taschenbuchverlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-85218-891-1 .
  • Dictionary of everyday language in Austria . (with Melita Sedlaczek), Haymon Taschenbuchverlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-85218-873-7 .
  • If is not undignified. Red-white-red markings through the thicket of language . (with Melita Sedlaczek), Ueberreuter 2010, ISBN 978-3-8000-7463-1 .
  • Small handbook of threatened words in Austria . (with Melita Sedlaczek), Ueberreuter 2007, ISBN 978-3-8000-7320-7 .
  • Leet & Leiwand. The Lexicon of Youth Language (with Roberta Baron): More than 250 expressions and idioms . Echomedia 2005, ISBN 978-3-901761-49-2 .
  • Austrian German . (with Melita Sedlaczek), Ueberreuter 2004, ISBN 978-3-8000-7075-6 ; Haymon Verlag 2014 ISBN 978-3-7099-7168-0 .
  • Lexicon of the errors of language in Austria . (with Sigmar Grüner), Deuticke 2003, ISBN 978-3-216-40714-6 .
  • The great tarot book . (with Wolfgang Mayr and Roland Kronigl), Edition Atelier 2001, ISBN 978-3-902498-25-0 .
  • The strategy of the tarot game . (with Wolfgang Mayr), Edition Atelier 2008, 4th expanded edition 2014, ISBN 978-3-902498-22-9 .
  • Austria for gourmets. The culinary yearbook . (Ed. With Christoph Wagner), Deuticke 1994 ISBN 3-216-30106-0 , 1995 ISBN 3-216-30155-9 , 1996 ISBN 3-216-30248-2 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Sedlaczek, Robert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian journalist and non-fiction author
DATE OF BIRTH April 2, 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna , Austria