Nominal .28or noun.29 phrases German grammar

1 nominal (or noun) phrases

1.1 genitive attribute
1.2 position
1.3 extended attribute phrase
1.4 relative clause

nominal (or noun) phrases

(the content of section not yet applicable proper names.)

a german nominal phrase, in general, consists of following components in following order:

article, number (cardinal or ordinal), adjective(s), noun, genitive attribute, position(s), relative clause, reflexive pronoun

die dritte umwerfende vorstellung des schillerdramas in dieser woche in hamburg

(the third stunning performance of drama schiller week in hamburg)

of course, noun phrases not complicated; adjectives, numbers, genitive attributes, positions, relative clauses , emphasizers optional.

a nominal phrase contains @ least cardinal number, adjective, pronoun or noun. has article, except if indefinite plural noun or refers uncountable mass.

die drei (the 3 of them)
der große mann (the tall man)
der mann (the man)

if noun uncountable, article not used; otherwise, meaning of sentence changes.

ich kaufe billiges bier (i buy cheap beer)
ich kaufe ein billiges bier (i buy bottle/can/glass/sort ... of cheap beer)
ich habe geld (i have money)
ich habe das geld (i have money) or (i have enough money to...)

a nominal phrase can regarded single unit. has case, number, , gender. case , number depend on context, whereas main noun determines gender.

genitive attribute

a nominal phrase may have genitive attribute, example express possession. attribute may seen merely nominal phrase in genitive case may hang off nominal phrase.

der beruf des alten mannes (the profession of old man.)
die hütte des häuptlings des stammes (the hut of chief of tribe)




(genitive phrase has own genitive phrase). uncommon in modern german. die hütte des stammeshäuptlings (the hut of tribe s chief/tribeschief) preferred.

a direct translation of der beruf des alten mannes profession of old man. old man s profession translated directly , correctly des alten mannes beruf , though form never used in modern german, if educated circles regarded elegant use of language. found in poetry, if helpful metrical , rhyming purposes.

position

a nominal phrase may contain position phrase ; may seen merely nominal phrase preposition (or postposition) or pronominal adverb (see adverbial phrases).

eine wolke himmel (a cloud in sky)
der bundeskanzler während des bürgerkriegs im kongo (the chancellor during civil war in congo)




(position phrase has own position phrase)




der regen im dschungel im sommer (the rain in jungle in summer)




(several position phrases)




der berg dort (that mountain on there)

extended attribute phrase

german permits lengthy nominal modifiers, instance:

der während des bürgerkrieges amtierende premierminister (literally: during-the-civil-war-office-holding prime minister), prime minister holding office/officiating during civil war.

die noch zu anfang des kurses relativ kleinen, aber doch merklichen verständigungsschwierigkeiten (literally: still-at-the-beginning-of-the-course-relatively-small-but-nevertheless-noticeable communication difficulties), communication difficulties still relatively small @ beginning of course, nevertheless noticeable.

these feature of written (particularly educated) german. 1 might hear them in context of formal oral communications (such news broadcasts, speeches, etc.).

relative clause

a nominal phrase have relative clause.

aside highly inflected forms, german relative pronouns less complicated english. there 2 varieties. more common 1 based on definite article der, die, das, distinctive forms in genitive (dessen, deren) , in dative plural (denen). etymologically related english that. second, more literary , used emphasis, relative use of welcher, welche, welches, comparable english which. in germanic languages, including old english, both of these inflect according gender, case , number. gender , number noun modify, case function in own clause.

das haus, in dem ich wohne, ist sehr alt.

the house in live old.

the relative pronoun dem neuter singular agree haus, dative because follows preposition in own clause. on same basis, possible substitute pronoun welchem.

however, german uses uninflecting ( ) relative pronoun when antecedent alles, etwas or nichts ( , , nothing ), or when antecedent entire clause.

alles, jack macht, gelingt ihm.

everything jack success.




jack vergaß sein buch, niemanden überraschte.

jack forgot book, surprised nobody.

but when follow preposition (still modifying entire clause), needs replaced wo + preposition or wor + preposition when preposition begins vowel. same applies indirect questions.

er wusste nicht, wofür (not: für was) er sich entschuldigen sollte.

he didn t know apologise for.




sie mochten, sie schrieb, worauf sie stolz war.

they liked wrote, proud of.




sie gab ihm einen kuss, worüber er glücklich war.

she gave him kiss, happy about.

in german, relative clauses marked comma.