Language practices of Russian and Austrian diplomats in the second half of the eighteenth century

Abstract

The introduction of French into the international sphere proceeded gradually throughout the eighteenth century and was largely due to the growing significance of French culture in the courts and educated milieu of Europe. By the middle of the century, French had not only become the most important language of external diplomatic communication, but had also gradually entered into the internal correspondence of foreign offices. Nevertheless, in the second half of the eighteenth century a large part of such correspondence continued to be conducted in the native language of the diplomats involved. This paper, based on archival sources, deals with the linguistic practices of Russian-speaking (Russophone) diplomats of the Russian Empire and diplomats from Austria, as well as the problem they faced in choosing between their native language or French when writing reports and letters. The language practices are considered in the context of the language policies of Catherine II, Maria Theresa, and Joseph II, who consistently implemented reforms in the Russian Empire and the Austrian monarchy in support of Russian and German respectively. Since there were many diplomats of foreign origin in the Russian College of Foreign Affairs, the French and Russian languages were considered equal. Their use in correspondence depended on the preferences of the chiefs, the personal experience of the diplomatic representatives (their French language skills, level of education in general, social and cultural background, and the characteristics of their particular place of residence), and in some cases on the subject of the correspondence. In the paperwork of the Austrian State Chancellery, the French language was used in official reports far less frequently than German, but rather often in semi-private correspondence with monarchs or high-ranking nobles in order to establish a confidential contact with them. A significant conclusion is drawn that the analysis of the language practices of Russian and Austrian diplomats requires a study of the language competency of the mission staff.