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Academic language (Bildungssprache) has become a buzzword of current pedagogical research and educational policies both within and outside of Germany, and the development of academic language competencies is now considered a major goal of education. However, difficulties arise when the construct is applied to a classroom situation, mainly due to its continuing conceptual diffuseness: while it is widely considered to fulfill specific and necessary functions in educational contexts, its empirical operationalisation has proven difficult, especially regarding the German language. The goal of the present article is to examine the development and function of the construct of academic language in different discourse contexts before providing one potentially useful operationalisation for German as a Foreign Language (DaF). Its application, options for teaching and learning of academic language, and the potential of DaF to provide curricular considerations for other contexts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]