The present study focuses on the word formation patterns [exogenous verb stem/ exogenous confix] + [exogenous verb suffix -ier- (s. l.)] + [indigenous noun suffix -ung] and [exogenous verb stem/ exogenous confix] + [exogenous noun suffix -ion (s. l.)], which have given rise to numerous competing derivatives such as Diskriminierung/ Diskrimination, Isolierung/ Isolation, Modifizierung/ Modifikation, etc. These word formation patterns were particularly productive in the past. The number of verbs in -ieren and their derivatives in -ierung and -ion in German has increased rapidly, especially since the 19th century, due to rapid technological progress, the development of technical language and the general tendency towards a nominal style in professional prose. For verbs in -ieren and nouns in -ion, the centuries of Latin-German and Franco-German linguistic contact should be emphasised; to a lesser extent, words have been adopted from other languages, such as Italian, Spanish or English. Latin and especially neo-Latin stems, as well as the noun suffix -io, are found in numerous internationalisms in various European languages in their respective assimilated forms.