Nominal style of academic and administrative German

The nominal style (Nominalstil) is the noun-heavy register of academic and administrative German. Instead of finite verbs, content is packed into deverbal nouns (prüfen → die Prüfung), stretched verb forms (zur Durchführung bringen instead of durchführen), and long genitive chains.

Typical features:

• Nominalisation: die Bewertung, die Inkraftsetzung, die Regelung
• Stacked genitives: die Bewertung der Ergebnisse der Untersuchung
• Light-verb constructions feeding the density

Example:

• Die Inkraftsetzung der Bestimmungen zur Regelung des Verfahrens erfolgte unverzüglich. - The entry into force of the provisions governing the procedure took place without delay.
• Nach Prüfung der Unterlagen erfolgt die Bewilligung des Antrags. - After examination of the documents the application is approved.

Common mistakes: Dense nominalisation can hide the agent (who does what?) and overload the reader. C2 mastery means deploying it precisely, not maximally, and balancing it with verbal style. Watch agreement and case in long genitive chains, and avoid stacking three or more genitives where a relative clause would read more clearly.

The heavy nominal style of academic and administrative German: nominalised verbs, stretched forms and long genitive chains.

Verbs become nouns ('prüfen' → 'die Prüfung'), and genitives stack: 'die Bewertung der Ergebnisse der Untersuchung'. Streckformen ('zur Durchführung bringen') add to the density.

Der Nominalstil der Wissenschafts- und Amtssprache: Verbalsubstantive, Streckformen und lange Genitivketten.