This study investigates the status of nominal functional categories in the Old High German (OHG) "Isidor" and "Tatian" translations and Otfrid's "Evangelienbuch" and the structure of the extended nominal group, including the Noun Phrase (NP) and the functional phrases Determiner Phrase (DP), Case Phrase (KP) and Number Phrase (NumP), which govern it. The nature of the extended NP in each OHG document is discussed with particular attention to the definiteness and indefiniteness cycles and the rise of articles. It proposes that a definite article existed from the earliest recorded examples of OHG, albeit with uses that differ from the uses of the article in Modern German and differ in each OHG document examined. The study focuses on the stages of the definite cycle found in the individual OHG documents. Within the article stage of the definiteness and indefiniteness cycles, there are substages corresponding to article use. These substages and the particular uses of the definite article are examined for each OHG document. The study further proposes that in Otfrid's "Evangelienbuch," an indefinite article can be observed to have begun a process of evolution similar to that of the definite article. This indefinite article is investigated for its particular uses as well. The study explains how the DP evolved in OHG from a structure created for animate genitives to a structure that came to be used for definite and indefinite articles. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]