Why an EU treaty protects the specific vocabulary of Austrian German

Cultures · Published 1 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While most languages share a standard, Austrian German holds a unique legal status. From potatoes to Brussels sprouts, certain food terms are protected by international law, ensuring that the linguistic identity of a nation remains distinct even within a unified European market.

Austrian German is a standardized variety of the pluricontinental German language, used formally in media and administration across Austria and South Tyrol. While many assume it is merely a collection of dialects, it is a distinct standard with its own established rules. This standardization was solidified in 1951 with the publication of the Österreichisches Wörterbuch, an official dictionary commissioned by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture.

The language's unique character stems from historical administrative shifts. In the mid-18th century, reforms by Empress Maria Theresa and Joseph II introduced compulsory schooling, but rather than adopting a local Upper German written language, the state pragmatically adopted the chancellery language of Saxony. This created a fascinating linguistic tension: while the formal standard was imported, the spoken landscape remained deeply rooted in Austro-Bavarian and Alemannic dialects.

This distinction is not merely academic; it is legally codified. When Austria joined the European Union on January 1, 1995, 'Protocol 23' of its accession agreement explicitly listed 23 food-related terms—such as the words for potato and tomato—that must hold the same legal status as their German equivalents. This accidental byproduct of trade requirements ensures that even as administrative reforms phase out older forms like the 'Austrian chancellery language,' the core vocabulary of the nation remains protected.

Beyond food, the variety maintains unique grammatical habits. For instance, in parts of Styria and Carinthia, the perfect tense of verbs like 'to sleep' (schlafen) uses 'sein' as an auxiliary, resulting in 'ich bin geschlafen.' Such nuances, alongside distinct vocabulary like 'Jänner' for January, preserve a linguistic heritage that remains a subject of intense debate among linguists.

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