Kategorisierung der Wortarten. Wortklassifizierung in einigen g ngigen deutschen Grammatiken: Wege und Abwege einer klassischen Idee

This article is an overview investigating and comparing the principles of word classification in several major German grammars in parallel. The description of the theoretical backgrounds of the parts of speech classifications is set in a historical context. Through an analysis of the most important grouping criteria in the different grammars it is attempted to give an answer to the question, whether there is a grammar model that has a consistent and adequate parts of speech classification. The grammars observed here have shown that neither of the different approaches, although they are more or less logical and consistent, has all requirements for an ideal” parts of speech definition. The grammar writers still seem to be confronted with several issues, which however motivates further research. In spite of their different and partly conflicting approaches, these grammars advance research and probably lead to a more complete understanding of the parts of speech.