Original title: Mehrsprachigkeitskonzeptionen im Auswärtigen Amt: Eine qualitative Untersuchung der Sprachwahrnehmungen und -vorstellungen von Mitarbeitenden
Translated title: Language perceptions and ideas about multilingualism among employees of the Federal Foreign Office
Authors: BACHMANN, Paula Anni Luise
Document type: Master’s theses
Year: 2025
Language: ger
Abstract: This thesis examines the role and perception of multilingualism within the German Federal Foreign Office, an institution that operates at the intersection of diplomacy and organizational practice. While language serves as a communicative tool, it simultaneously functions as a symbol of political positioning, a structuring element of internal processes, and a resource for building trust in international relations. This study focuses on the views of employees regarding language use, hierarchies between languages, and the balance between officially promoted multilingualism and the efficiency requirements of a globalized working environment. The research is based on a qualitative design, drawing on four semi-structured interviews with Foreign Office staff. The findings reveal that while multilingualism is officially acknowledged as an essential resource for diplomacy, the daily use within the headquarters is largely limited to German and English, with additional use of host-country languages at foreign missions. Strategic languages such as Arabic, Chinese, and Russian are institutionally prioritized as keys to political and economic regions, whereas smaller languages are valued primarily for their symbolic and trust-building function. Interviewees perceive multilingualism in different ways. It is often considered an enrichment and an indispensable part of diplomatic work, sometimes described as a challenge, and at times treated as a taken-for-granted element of life. Digital tools and AI-based translation systems are welcomed as support mechanisms, yet their limitations underline the irreplaceable interpersonal dimension of diplomacy. Overall, multilingualism emerges both as a lived practice and as a strategic resource. It reflects institutional hierarchies, global language dynamics, and the tension between inclusivity and efficiency. The study contributes to a better understanding of language practices in a federal authority with strong international orientation and suggests practical measures, such as experimental language rotation models and the establishment of an "AI Language Lab," to further strengthen the role of multilingualism in diplomatic practice.
Keywords: artificial intelligence; diplomacy; German Federal Foreign Office; institutional communication; language policy; multilingualism; strategic languages
Citation: BACHMANN, Paula Anni Luise. Mehrsprachigkeitskonzeptionen im Auswärtigen Amt: Eine qualitative Untersuchung der Sprachwahrnehmungen und -vorstellungen von Mitarbeitenden. České Budějovice, 2025. diplomová práce (Ing.). JIHOČESKÁ UNIVERZITA V ČESKÝCH BUDĚJOVICÍCH. Ekonomická fakulta

Institution: University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (web)
Document availability information: Fulltext is available in the Digital Repository of University of South Bohemia.
Original record: http://www.jcu.cz/vskp/80529

Permalink: http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-688487


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Universities and colleges > Public universities > University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice
Academic theses (ETDs) > Master’s theses