Sprachregelung

Sprachregelung is a German language term meaning "convention of speech". It refers to a formal or informal agreement, or order, that certain things should be expressed in specific ways in official communications by an organisation or by a political entity. Although not the same, it has quite some overlap with the "politically correct speech" of US-American origin.

It can also cover concepts such as agreed lines-to-take or talking points. An example came in January 1945 when Ribbentrop sent emissaries to contact the Western Allies in Sweden and Switzerland, aiming to negotiate a separate peace; they carried with them a Sprachregelungen to ensure they gave the same message.^[1]

A certain number of Sprachregelungen are adopted by most mid-sized to large companies in Germany, to avoid confusing and seemingly contradictory messages being given out, and to enhance the outward appearance of unity, but also to avoid negative-sounding statements about the company by replacing them with more or less appropriate euphemisms.

The term is most commonly used in connection with media and politics when it comes to disputed or sensitive subjects. The Cold War period was especially rich in these conventions. As an example, when the Federal Republic of Germany did not recognize the German Democratic Republic, one of the Sprachregelungen adopted over time was to refer to the latter only by its German abbreviation, "DDR", which was meant to be derogatory. On the other hand, the GDR adopted the Sprachregelung that East Berlin was never to be referred to as such, but always as "Berlin, capital of the GDR". This was supposed to avoid recognition of the continuing allied occupation of Berlin, and of the political validity of West Berlin.

Also, euphemisms of Nazi Germany, like "final solution" for what is today known as the Holocaust, have been regarded as a case of Sprachregelung as recounted in Hannah Arendt's coverage of the trial of Eichmann in Jerusalem.

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