Same Same But Different: Dialects and Trade

Alfred Lameli, Volker Nitsch, Jens Suedekum and Nikolaus Wolf

No 4245, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Language is a strong and robust determinant of international trade patterns: Countries sharing a common language trade significantly more with each other than countries using different languages, holding other factors constant. In this paper, we show that this trade-promoting effect of language is likely to reflect cultural ties, rather than lower costs of communication or similar institutions. Analyzing unique data for a single-language country, Germany, we find that similarities in the local dialect between regions have a sizable and significant positive impact on intra-national trade. We interpret this finding as evidence for the effect of culture on trade.

Keywords: language; culture; trade costs; gravity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F14 F15 Z10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Same Same But Different: Dialects and Trade (2015)
Journal Article: Same Same But Different: Dialects and Trade (2015)
Working Paper: Same Same But Different: Dialects and Trade (2015)
Working Paper: Same Same But Different: Dialects and Trade (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4245

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