I’m reading an interesting on-line article on the German grammar, written for English-speakers. The introductionary chapter explains a lot of language theory, which is quite useful. It describes the eight possible functions of a word (such as case, gender, voice, mood etc.) and how the function of a word is indicated (‘signalled’) in English and German.

Compound nouns:”Germans (like English speakers) connect nouns together to form compound nouns. Examples in English are streetcar, airport, and flowerpot. Germans seem to get carried away with the concept. They keep sticking nouns together until at times they come up with humongous verbal edifices.”