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I have a scientific translation query (self-teaching practices). Could someone help in explaining with which noun is die associated with? Gesichtspunkten has diesen with it. There are three nouns in the sentence-all in the plural.

So far what is slightly difficult to understand is to associate the role of the definite article when it is far away from the noun and there are no commas. Are there any rules to find out? Admittedly, these sentences are complicated since they are from research papers.

Ergänzend werden die nach diesen Gesichtspunkten theoretisch möglichen den heute tatsächlich erreichten Eigenschaften von optischen Detektoren gegenüber gestellt.

Google Translate shows:

In addition, the theoretically possible, according to these aspects, are compared with the actual properties of optical detectors achieved today.

DeepL is more liberal:

In addition, the theoretically possible properties of optical detectors are compared with those actually achieved today.

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    Please be aware that such overcomplicated, nested sentences are bad practice / bad style in any situation; the context being science here is no excuse. This is simply the product of an inept writer. - Not your mistake, of course. I tell this just in order to prevent you from believing that German language must necessarily be bureaucratic. I does not. Already a simple regrouping would improve this sentence: Ergänzend werden die nach diesen Gesichtspunkten theoretisch möglichen Eigenschaften von optischen Detektoren den heute tatsächlich erreichten gegenübergestellt.
    – Christian Geiselmann
    Commented Nov 23, 2018 at 2:38
  • Thanks, I agree. This paper is from 1977; I have a couple of classic scientific German books meant for teaching a reading knowledge of German rather than speaking or writing it. The very first few pages from Norris & Shreve (1940s) states that participal constructions are among the most common stumbling blocks in scientific German. The second most common problem is the use of werden. This sentence has everything.
    – ACR
    Commented Nov 23, 2018 at 7:15
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    @ChristianGeiselmann I might be spoiled by too many scientific or otherwise elaborated texts ;-) but except for the fact that it is somewhat difficult to understand for non-native speakers (like the OP), I can't see anything wrong in this slightly complicated sentence, nor would I consider it bad style.
    – Volker Landgraf
    Commented Nov 26, 2018 at 11:47

1 Answer 1

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DeepL got it right. It's die Eigenschaften.

Ergänzend werden die nach diesen Gesichtspunkten theoretisch möglichen (Eigenschaften) den heute tatsächlich erreichten Eigenschaften von optischen Detektoren gegenüber gestellt.

The predicate is es werden gegenüber gestellt. This phrase demands a subject and a dative object which are put in opposition (compared) to each other. The subject is the phrase

  • die nach diesen Gesichtspunkten theoretisch möglichen (Eigenschaften)

the dative object

  • den heute tatsächlich erreichten Eigenschaften

The first Eigenschaften is ommitted, this is often the case to avoid repetition. It's also possible to omit the second instead. The piece

  • von optischen Detektoren

is a supplement to both objects. It has to follow the complete phrase. The following sentence is as valid and means exactly the same.

Ergänzend werden die nach diesen Gesichtspunkten theoretisch möglichen Eigenschaften von optischen Detektoren den heute tatsächlich erreichten gegenüber gestellt.

This is what DeepL understood. Uh, and you may exchange the order of subject and dative object of course.

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  • Thanks. Is there a way/ rule to easily find out with which noun is the definite article associated, especially if there are several words in between the noun and the definite article?
    – ACR
    Commented Nov 22, 2018 at 22:17
  • Unfortunately not. And it's not only articles but also pronouns (including number words and viele, wenige, keine etc) and even adjectives that may be sprinkled like that. You have to make an educated guess. Ergänzend werden wichtige nach diesen Gesichtspunkten theoretisch mögliche Eigenschaften ausgewählten heute tatsächlich erreichten gegenüber gestellt.
    – Janka
    Commented Nov 22, 2018 at 23:14
  • The tricky thing in your example sentence is that the noun that carries the article isn't even present in the sentence - It's the first Eigenschaften that Janka added for you in parentheses.
    – tofro
    Commented Nov 24, 2018 at 22:53

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