Descriptive Grammar - German - level 1 3200-L2-0GOBN1

The course in Descriptive Grammar of German as language B (parts 1 and 2) is meant as an introduction to the mainstream approaches in German descriptive grammar, in which structural criteria are combined with a strong functional focus.

Among the goals of the course, apart from acquainting students with German grammar terminology and providing them with knowledge on German grammar that they will need in other courses offered in the Applied Linguistics programme at the Faculty of Applied Linguistic, are those of enabling students to develop an awareness of grammatical corectness in actual discourse, and to give them a solid foundation for their own attempts at describing and/or explaining features of English grammar to others.

I. Phonetics and Phonology
II. Parts of Speech:
1. Noun
2. Article
3. Adjective
4. Adverb
5. Numeral

Topics covered in the second part of the course:
I. Parts of Speech (cont.)
1. Preposition
2. Pronoun
3. Particle
4. Verb
II. Basic concepts of syntax
1. Simple sentence
2. Complex sentence
3. Types of sentences
4. Sentence equivalents
5. Sentence constituents and their hierarchy within a sentence
6. Information structure in German

Course Workload:
30 hrs - attending classes=1ECTS
20 hrs - reading of lectures
10 hrs - homework
30hrs - prepartion for tasks verifying the learning autcomes=1ECTS

Term 2026Z:

The course in Descriptive Grammar of German as language B (parts 1 and 2) is meant as an introduction to the mainstream approaches in German descriptive grammar, in which structural criteria are combined with a strong functional focus.
A major part of the full course, which lasts two semesters, is devoted to an overview of the basic features of German grammar, such as:
1. Phonetics and phonology
2. the major word classes and the associated phrases (in particular the VP, NP, AdjP and German word formation too);
3. the structure of basic clause patterns (viewed against the background of the underlying semantic predicate-argument structure);
4. the discourse functions of main-clause types (with discussion focusing on the concept of illocutionary force and the major main-clause types: declarative, interrogative, imperative);
5. the grammatical, semantic and pragmatic aspects of clause linking (use of connectives, coordination, and subordination);
6. the grammatical means involved in information management in the clause and beyond (including the notions of topic and focus, ellipsis and word order).

Among the goals of the course, apart from acquainting students with German grammar terminology and providing them with knowledge on German grammar that they will need in other courses offered in the Applied Linguistics programme at the Faculty of Applied Linguistic, are those of enabling students to develop an awareness of grammatical corectness in actual discourse, and to give them a solid foundation for their own attempts at describing and/or explaining features of English grammar to others.
Part 1 of the course in Descriptive Grammar of German as language B (semester 1) covers some of the issues included under first topic (1).
I. Phonetics and Phonology
II. Parts of Speech:
1. Noun
2. Article
3. Adjective
4. Adverb
5. Numeral

Course Workload:
30 hrs - attending classes=1ECTS
20 hrs - reading of lectures
10 hrs - homework
30hrs - prepartion for tasks verifying the learning autcomes=1ECTS

Course coordinators

Term 2026Z:

Krzysztof Drużycki
Mariusz Mela

Term 2025Z:

Małgorzata Guławska-Gawkowska
Mariusz Mela

Type of course

obligatory courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

B2 level of language proficiency

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the whole of the course, students should with regard to knowledge:
• be familiar with the basic concepts of German grammar and with German grammatical terminology (K1_W01, K1_W02)
• have knowledge on the basic features of German grammar (and some of its pragmatic underpinnings) , to enable them participation in other courses offered in the Applied Linguistics programme of studies (K1_W05, K1_W08)

Skills:
• be able to use the above-mentioned knowledge for identifying and explaining selected problematic areas of German grammar’ (K1_U2, K1_U9)
• be able to conduct a simple grammatical analysis of the German clause based on the knowledge they have mastered (K1_U1, K1_U2)
• be able to adequately apply the knowledge in the descriptive grammar of German course to formulate research questions in applied linguistics (K1_U10)

Social competences:
• be ready to make a critical assessment of the knowledge gained in descriptive grammar of German as an element of their academic and professional training in the Applied Linguistics programme of studies (K1_K01, K1_K02)
• be ready to work together in a group, adopting different roles and respecting the principles of academic and professional ethic (K1_K03)

Assessment criteria

In order to get credits students are requested to:
- attend classes (two absences are allowed).
Assessment criteria:
- written test at the end of 1st semester, is the only method of assessment and the only basis for the final grade,
- the test covers the knowledge and skills connected with first topic (1).
The conditions for passing the resit examination are the same as for the first term.

Bibliography

Admoni W.(1982): Der deutsche Sprachbau. München.
Duden. Grammatik der deutschen Gegenwartssprache (1998). Mannheim/Wien/Zürich.
Eisenberg P. (2006): Das Wort. Grundriss der deutschen Grammatik. Bd. 1. Stuttgart.
Eisenberg P. (2006): Der Satz. Grundriss der deutschen Grammatik. Bd. 2. Stuttgart.
Engelen B. (1984): Einführung in die Syntax der deutschen Sprache. Vorfragen und Grundlagen. Bd. 1. Baltmannsweiler.
Engelen B. (1986): Einführung in die Syntax der deutschen Sprache. Satzglieder und Satzbaupläne. Bd. 2. Baltmannsweiler.
Engel U. (2004): Deutsche Grammatik – Neubearbeitung . München.
Engel U. u.a. (2000): Deutsch-polnische kontrastive Grammatik. Warszawa.
Erben J. (1972): Deutsche Grammtik. Ein Abriss. München.
Erben J. (1984): Deutsche Syntax. Eine Einführung. Bern/Frankfurt/New York.
Helbig G., Buscha J. (2001): Deutsche Grammatik. Ein Handbuch für den Ausländerunterricht. Leipzig.