Being smug over the meanings of words that aren't ever actually used in a consistent way is even more American.
Um actually, Strawberries are not a berry, it's a Gameboy, not a Nintendo, and I lick toads. Can you go to the bathroom?
The only thing similar that I have experienced in Europe is the protected food name law, e.g. Champagne and Parmesan, but that's an EU cultural protectionism law that the US doesn't actually follow.
No worries, "being smug over the meanings of words that aren't ever actually used in a consistent way" is done over here in Europe as well. People have the exact same conversations you list as examples. I would even go so far and say that this is true for the whole world and throughout time, a human condition. I would also think that it really isn't about the words/language, but rather about having control over the conversation and power over others.
I still get angry about teachers replying with " I don't know if you can go to the toilet"
Fucking power play for sure. I was already shy about asking to use the toilet.
The wait 5 minutes joke never seems to hold up in my region. Usually if it changes in the middle of the day, it's not changing back. Usually it changes at night though.
How so? You can have a cheese that's a molecular perfect replica of a Parmesan and have no legal issues. You only have problems is you call it Parmesan without following the requirements.
To be honest, it seems like the complete opposite issue.