Adjective or relative clause

Question

I've noticed more and more that sometimes instead of using a relative clause, that writers will just turn the phrase into an adjective

Was wissen Sie über die von uns angebotenen Produkte?

instead of

Was wissen Sie über die Produkte, die wir anbieten?

or in Kafka's Das Urteil

Er hatte gerade einen Brief an einen sich im Ausland befindenden Jugendfreund beendet

instead of

Er hatte gerade einen Brief an einen Jugendfreund, der sich im Ausland befindet, beendet

When do you use each one? Are they both equally grammatically valid? And what's the point (the relative clause oftentimes seems easier)?

Answer 1

That's right.

The main difference between these equally grammatically valid constructions is style.

May be unconscious, but you do the same in English. I mean, the previous sentence could also be written as

The main difference between these constructions, which are equally grammatically valid, is style.

Somehow subordinate clauses sound not so pompous. In newspapers, literature and scientific language they are often substituted by an Attribut. I wouldn't speak using an Attribut if I'm with my friends drinking beer. But I would, if I'm giving a talk or talking seriously. Anyway in oral communication, I wouldn't create a very long chain of Attributs, since I'd become incomprehensible.