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1BUSINESS ENGLISH
UNIT 6
FORM WORDS
DEFINITIONS
Words fall into two broad categories: content words (Inhaltswörter) and form words (Formwörter).
Content words, which have clearly definable meanings, may be subdivided into nouns (e.g. accession
treaty1), verbs (e.g. enhance2), adjectives (e.g. monolithic3) and adverbs (e.g. unquestionably4). Form
words, which are also known as function words or grammatical words, are used to express gram -
matical relationships. Form words include articles, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions and auxiliary
verbs.
ARTICLES
The definite article is not normally used before the names of countries or regions. Examples: in Italy
(in Italien), in Russia (in Russland), in Turkey (in der Türkei), in Switzerland (in der Schweiz), in Iraq
(im Irak), in Iran (im Iran). Exception: in the Balkans (auf dem Balkan).
In German the definite article is often used in generalisations. In English, however, the article is
omitted before nouns which are used in a very general sense. Example:
Die Preise sind stark angestiegen: There has been a sharp rise in prices
In German the definite article is frequently employed before abstract nouns like Kommunismus,
Kapitalismus, Arbeitslosigkeit, Armut, Korruption and Kultur, but the English equivalents of these
words are used without the article. Examples:
der Sturz des Kommunismus: the collapse of communism
die Nachteile des Kapitalismus: the disadvantages of capitalism
Die Arbeitslosigkeit ist leicht angestiegen: There has been a slight rise in unemployment 5
der Kampf gegen die Armut in der Dritten Welt: the fight against poverty in the Third World
der Kampf gegen die Korruption in Russland: the fight against corruption in Russia
der Einfluss der amerikanischen Kultur in Europa: the influence of American culture in
Europe
It should, noted that the definite article has to be inserted before words like culture when they are
followed by a prepositional phrase with of. Example:
the American culture of the 1920s
PRONOUNS
The pronoun it deserves special mention6. In a well-written text it always refers to a word or a word-
group which can easily be identified by the reader. Examples:
1
Beitrittsvertrag
2
verbessern
3
Monolithic collocates with nouns like society. A monolithic society (eine monolithische Gesellschaft) is a
society which constitutes a massive, undifferentiated and rigid whole.
4
zweifellos, zweifelsohne
5
Unlike unemployment, unemployment rate is used with an article (e.g. a high unemployment rate).
6
Besonders zu erwähnen ist (...).
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