The Obwohl-V2 Construction in German: Semantic, Pragmatic, and Prosodic Features

Abstract

One of the main features of subordinate clauses in German sentences is word order. While the main clause uses direct word order, the verb in the subordinate clause is placed at the end. In modern German, particularly in spoken language, there is increasing variation in word order in subordinate clauses, which demonstrates a deviation from the norm. Long considered as incorrect, the variant with direct word order (V2) in subordinate clauses is being reinterpreted and analysed in modern works from the perspective of semantics, prosody, and pragmatics of the entire sentence. It is assumed that, unlike the canonical use, obwohl-V2 constructions can act not only as discursive markers, but can also be autonomous and have their own illocutionary force. This may apply to both classical concessiveness and modern usage, which causes a semantic change in the clause with obwohl. The aim of this paper is to identify the syntactic, pragmatic, and prosodic features of sentences with the obwohl-V2 construction. Particular attention is paid to the integration of such constructions into the sentence, including the intonation level. The study concludes that the obwohl-V2 construction demonstrates signs of syntactic autonomy, approaching the characteristics of the main clause. Thus, the value of the study lies in the theoretical reinterpretation of the obwohl-V2 construction. The data obtained on the hybrid nature of the analysed constructions may later allow us to reconsider the boundaries between coordination and subordination. The results of this work can be used in teaching theoretical and practical German grammar.

For citation: Danova A.I. The Obwohl-V2 Construction in German: Semantic, Pragmatic, and Prosodic Features. Vestnik Severnogo (Arkticheskogo) federal’nogo universiteta. Ser.: Gumanitarnye i sotsial’nye nauki, 2026, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 72–84. https://doi.org/10.37482/2687-1505-V542