Koordinationen

Koordinationen are syntactic constructions in which two or more constituents of equal status are joined to form a larger unit. In German grammar, they are typically created with coordinating conjunctions such as und, oder, aber, denn, and sometimes with correlative pairs like sowohl … als auch. Coordination can also occur without an overt conjunction in asyndetic sequences, especially in short, parallel phrases.

Conjuncts in Koordinationen can be words, phrases, or clauses. Examples include Brot und Käse (two nouns), schnell und laut (adjective/adverbial phrases), oder ins Kino gehen (two verb phrases expressing a choice), and Ich kam, aber sie blieb (two independent clauses linked by a conjunction). Weder … noch is a common correlative form used to negate two alternatives. The defining feature is that all conjuncts have the same syntactic status and are coordinated rather than hierarchically dependent.

Koordination is often contrasted with Subordination, where one unit depends on another (for example, a subordinate clause introduced by dass, weil, obwohl). In coordinated structures, the relation among conjuncts is additive rather than hierarchical, although punctuation and intonation can reflect grouping and emphasis.

Across languages, Koordination affects punctuation, word order, and prosody. Different languages have varying restrictions on the length and internal structure of conjuncts and on how conjunctions are placed. In German, the resulting syntax tends to preserve parallelism among the conjuncts, while introducing occasional variations in rhythm and emphasis through punctuation and intonation.