From Kazakhstan to Korea and Argentina to Australia, over 450 people provided the German Language Society with 7,500 examples of German words used outside of Germany.

The list, which was intended to prove that German is indeed a global language, sends an interesting message about Germany’s image abroad.

Globally, the most popular German words aren’t Gesundheit and Kindergarten — though those two terms remain the ones cited most often in English-speaking countries. Contest participants actually sent in Butterbrot most often, a German word for "bread and butter" that is in common use in Russian and Ukrainian.

Not surprisingly, German history played into the survey, with Blitzkrieg, Hinterland and Wermut among the most well-known German words in some countries. But German culinary terms were even more popular, with Bier, Kuchen, Zwieback, and Bratwurst cited often.

Words associated with the German auto industry also ranked high on the list, among them Fahrvergnügen (the joy of driving), Autobahn, and Volkswagen, which in Greece refers to any small car used to transport goods. Similarly, Wirtschaftswunder is a common word for an economic miracle — and not just in English-speaking countries.

Not all of the words bode well for Germany’s image abroad, however. The German Language Society was only slightly alarmed that kaput is understood nearly all around the globe, and that arubaito, a Korean form of Arbeit (work), refers to a poorly-paid part-time job or training position.