Language and the euro

Several linguistic issues have arisen in relation to the spelling of the words euro and cent in the many languages of the member states of the European Union, as well as in relation to grammar and the formation of plurals.

In official documents, the name "euro" must be used for the nominative singular in all languages, though different alphabets are taken into account and plural forms and declensions are accepted. In documents other than EU legal texts, including national legislation, other spellings are accepted according to the various grammatical rules of the respective language.^[1]^[2]^[3] For European Union legislation, the spelling of the words for the currency is prescribed for each language; in the English-language version of European Union legislation the forms "euro" and "cent" are used invariantly in the singular and plural, even though this departs from usual English practice for currencies.^[4]

^ European Commission. "The euro: The euro 'rules'". Retrieved 12 January 2009. The name of the single currency must be the same in all the official languages of the EU, taking into account the different alphabets. This is to ensure consistency and to avoid confusion in the single market. In all EU legal texts, the nominative singular spelling must be 'euro' in all languages ('ευρώ' in Greek alphabet; 'евро' in Cyrillic alphabet). Plural forms and declensions are accepted as long as they do not change the 'eur-' root. In documents other than EU legal texts, including national legislation, other spellings are accepted according to the various grammatical rules used in each language.
^ English Style Guide: A handbook for authors and translators in the European Commission (PDF) (Fifth edition (revised) ed.). European Commission Directorate-General for Translation. May 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009. 20.8 The euro. Like 'pound', 'dollar' [etc.] the word 'euro' is written in lower case with no initial capital and, where appropriate, takes the plural 's' (as does 'cent'):This book costs ten euros and fifty cents. However, in documents and tables where monetary amounts figure largely, make maximum use of the € symbol (closed up to the figure) or the abbreviation EUR before the amount.
^ European Central Bank (13 December 2005). "Opinion of the European Central Bank of 1 December 2005 on a proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 974/98 on the introduction of the euro (CON/2005/51)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. Retrieved 7 September 2008. For reasons of legal certainty, the ECB recommends that the text of the proposed regulation incorporates in its normative part a provision confirming that 'the spelling of the name of the euro shall be identical in the nominative singular case in all the official languages of the European Union, taking into account the existence of different alphabets.
^ European Commission. "Spelling of the words "euro" and "cent" in official community languages as used in community legislative acts" (PDF). Retrieved 12 January 2009.

[eurorules-1] European Commission. "The euro: The euro 'rules'". Retrieved 12 January 2009. The name of the single currency must be the same in all the official languages of the EU, taking into account the different alphabets. This is to ensure consistency and to avoid confusion in the single market. In all EU legal texts, the nominative singular spelling must be 'euro' in all languages ('ευρώ' in Greek alphabet; 'евро' in Cyrillic alphabet). Plural forms and declensions are accepted as long as they do not change the 'eur-' root. In documents other than EU legal texts, including national legislation, other spellings are accepted according to the various grammatical rules used in each language.

[TrStyleGuide-2] English Style Guide: A handbook for authors and translators in the European Commission (PDF) (Fifth edition (revised) ed.). European Commission Directorate-General for Translation. May 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009. 20.8 The euro. Like 'pound', 'dollar' [etc.] the word 'euro' is written in lower case with no initial capital and, where appropriate, takes the plural 's' (as does 'cent'):This book costs ten euros and fifty cents. However, in documents and tables where monetary amounts figure largely, make maximum use of the € symbol (closed up to the figure) or the abbreviation EUR before the amount.

[ECB_opinion1-3] European Central Bank (13 December 2005). "Opinion of the European Central Bank of 1 December 2005 on a proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 974/98 on the introduction of the euro (CON/2005/51)" (PDF). Official Journal of the European Union. Retrieved 7 September 2008. For reasons of legal certainty, the ECB recommends that the text of the proposed regulation incorporates in its normative part a provision confirming that 'the spelling of the name of the euro shall be identical in the nominative singular case in all the official languages of the European Union, taking into account the existence of different alphabets.

[Spellings_in_Official_Languages-4] European Commission. "Spelling of the words "euro" and "cent" in official community languages as used in community legislative acts" (PDF). Retrieved 12 January 2009.

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