Recent work on the relationship between lexicalization and grammaticalization appears to yield a consensus compatible with traditional notions of gestalt linguistics. A survey of the literature indicates the complexity of this supposed dichotomy, and provides a starting point from which we may evaluate a diagrammatic approach to the problem. Examples focus on the German derivational suffix-heit, cognate with English-hood. Such suffixation has traditionally been difficult for scholars to assess in terms of lexicality and grammaticality. Taking the gestalt concepts of parts and wholes into account, the inherent flexibility and fluidity between lexicalization and grammaticalization becomes apparent.

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This article provides an overview of the study of lexicalisation phenomena in conjunction with grammaticalisation. It describes the commonalities and differences between the two and highlights certain problem areas raised in the research and the ongoing challenge of handling troublesome categorisation such as derivational affixation. It discusses the competing notions and consensus on grammaticalisation and lexicalisation.

This work discusses the importance of spoken German in classroom instruction. The paper examines the nature of natural spoken language as opposed to written language. We find a general consensus that the prevailing language measure (whether pertaining to written or spoken language) in instructional settings more often typifies the rules associated with a written variety to the relative exclusion of norms associated with natural spoken language. A discussion of authentic spoken language and pragmatics in the classroom follows. The principle linguistic notion examined is elision (dropping certain sounds), but we also look at assimilation (sounds becoming more alike) due to its high frequency of occurrence with elision. The article then presents suggestions for classroom instruction on awareness and recognition of spoken language, along with the contexts in which spoken language occurs.

Throughout its history in Old High German (OHG), Middle High German, Early New High German, and Modern German (ModG), the word Mann "man" has exhibited a high degree of productivity and linguistic flexibility. It has ranged morphosyntactically from a full noun (OHG man "man"), compounded noun (OHG werolt.man "human, mortal"), affixoid (ModG Sports.mann "athlete"), indefinite pronoun (ModG man "one"), to something approaching zero (undergoing demorphologization in the OHG compound gom.man "husband, man"). The affixoid notion and its usefulness in morphology have been controversial in the literature (e.g., Schmidt 1987). Relatively recently, Stevens (2005) proposed criteria for the category affixoid, and a number of standard German grammatical and etymological references (e.g., Duden 1995) have been utilizing this term. This study involves examining modern usage of the form -mann as found in the online Spiegel newsmagazine's database, as well as the collection of historical data primarily on the forms of German -mann from the robust Titus database in Frankfurt. Stevens' (2005) criteria are evaluated and used to measure the validity of German -mann's membership in the category of suffixoid.