Dollar term of Germanic origin . There was a time when America had become independent and there was a discussion about whether the official language should be German, which had become popular for immigration. Finally it was decided to keep the English The German currency was the taler that in English was pronounced daler, from where that name was kept as official. Thaler or taler is one of the great silver coins minted in the states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy in the modern era. Thaler is short for Joachimsthaler, because the original coin was produced in Joachimstal, Bohemia, from 1518.