This study in the history of language and culture is concerned with the discourse on the German Standard language in the 18th century, called High German by contemporary linguists and grammarians. Using 18th century grammars, dictionaries, handbooks of rhetoric and other texts, the study examines varying concepts of "High German". Central keywords are presented such as Obersächsisch (Upper Saxon), Pöbel (plebs), or Volk (people) together with models and strategies of argumentation for upgrading or downgrading individual language regions, groups of speakers or individual stylistic features.