This paper investigates how linguistic norms are negotiated in German-speaking localities in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The aim of the article is to find out whether linguistic norms still play a role in a heterogeneous multilingual context in which German ceased to be used as a written language while still being transferred to children in spoken varieties. The data is based on 58 semi-structured interviews from ten locations. The analyses take their starting point in language labels, providing key words for identifying and contrasting varieties. The results show that different varieties of German are still clearly perceived and labeled, and that they are evaluated according to the vertical dimension. Norms are negotiated displaying an ideology of linguistic homogeneity and relating to speaker age, the value of written language, and norm instances like schools. Comparing the older and the younger generations, a tendency of norm varieties being less associated with written language and more and more based on surrounding spoken German varieties is perceived, with West Central German (Hunsrückisch) showing some dominance.