The Analysis of the Ordering in Noun Phrase Structures in German

The present study seeks to investigate noun phrase structures and the ordering of their constituents in German. In German, noun phrase dependents can be placed on both sides of the head. This feature adds to the complexity of the order of the noun phrase structure. One of the aims of this study, which is descriptive, is to find out whether the ordering of the constituents on both sides of a noun phrase follows any rules or that such ordering is arbitrary. The results indicate that the constituents which are placed on the left side of the head agree with it, while such agreement does not exist in the constituents on the right side of the head.  The paper also gives some examples of noun phrase structures that are in contrast with the existing categories and determines why these contrasts exist. Finally, we will argue that the reason for some inconsistencies in adjective inflection in a noun phrase is the syntactic order of constituents in the noun phrase.