Responsible paraphrasing and citation | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Ich mache mir Sorgen, dass meine Paraphrasen den Quellen zu nahe bleiben.

   I worry that my paraphrases stay too close to the sources.

   Ich mache mir Sorgen

   I worry

   Paraphrasen

   paraphrases

   Quellen

   sources

   zu nahe

   too close

   bleiben

   stay; remain

   More detail

   Ich mache mir Sorgen is a reusable German construction meaning “I worry” or “I am concerned.” Literally, machen is “make,” mir is the first-person singular dative pronoun, and Sorgen is the plural noun “worries,” but the complete construction expresses concern. The verb form mache is present tense, first-person singular, from machen. For another subject, the verb changes: Sie macht sich Sorgen means “She worries.” The reflexive pronoun matches the person: ich ... mir, du ... dir, er/sie ... sich. Paraphrasen means “paraphrases.” It is the plural of die Paraphrase (“paraphrase”); the plural adds -n: die Paraphrase → die Paraphrasen. Here it is the subject of the dass clause, so it goes with the plural verb form bleiben. Example: Paraphrasen verändern die Formulierung. — “Paraphrases change the wording.” Quellen means “sources.” It is the plural of die Quelle (“source”). In the sentence, the full group den Quellen is dative plural. The dative-plural article is den, and Quellen already ends in -n, so the noun has no additional visible ending in this form. The expression etwas bleibt einer Sache nahe uses the dative for the thing that something remains close to; therefore den Quellen is not the subject. Example: Der Text bleibt der Vorlage nahe. — “The text stays close to the original.” zu nahe means “too close.” nahe means “close/near,” while zu before an adjective indicates an excessive degree. A useful comparison is nah or nahe — “close,” näher — “closer,” and am nächsten — “closest.” Here, the closeness is the paraphrases’ relation to the sources, as confirmed by the fixed translation. bleiben means “stay” or “remain.” Here it is the finite present-tense form for a plural subject: sie bleiben means “they stay.” It is not an infinitive in this sentence, although the infinitive has the same written form, bleiben. Singular forms include ich bleibe and er/sie bleibt. Example: Die Unterschiede bleiben sichtbar. — “The differences remain visible.” The conjunction dass introduces the content of the worry. In a German dass clause, the finite verb normally comes at the end: dass meine Paraphrasen den Quellen zu nahe bleiben. The clause says that the paraphrases remain too close to the sources. Combined with Ich mache mir Sorgen, the whole utterance means: “I worry that my paraphrases stay too close to the sources.”

2. Ein nützlicher Test ist, ob sich die Satzstruktur verändert hat.

   A useful test is whether the sentence structure has changed.

   nützlicher

   useful

   Test

   test

   ob

   whether

   Satzstruktur

   sentence structure

   sich … verändert hat

   has changed

   More detail

   nützlicher means “useful” here and describes Test. Its base form is nützlich; nützlicher is the form required with the masculine singular nominative noun Test after ein. The ending belongs to the adjective, not the noun. Example: Das ist ein nützlicher Hinweis. — “That is a useful hint.” Test is a masculine noun meaning “test.” Ein nützlicher Test is the subject of the sentence: “a useful test.” The indefinite article presents the test without asserting a numerical count. ob introduces an embedded yes-or-no question. Here it means “whether,” not a conditional “if.” A reusable pattern is Die Frage ist, ob ... — “The question is whether ...” Example: Die Frage ist, ob er kommt. — “The question is whether he is coming.” Satzstruktur means “sentence structure.” It is a compound noun: Satz means “sentence” in this context, and Struktur means “structure,” but Satzstruktur functions as one noun. It is feminine, as shown by die in the embedded clause. The two quoted parts sich and verändert hat belong to the construction sich verändern: “to change” or “to become different.” In this use, sich is part of the verb construction; it does not mean that the sentence structure changes itself as a separate agent. Verändert is the past participle of verändern, and hat is the auxiliary haben. Together they form the present perfect, with the auxiliary at the end of the subordinate clause introduced by ob. Example: Die Struktur hat sich verändert. — “The structure has changed.” The main clause Ein nützlicher Test ist ... identifies the following embedded question as the useful test: ob sich die Satzstruktur verändert hat asks whether the sentence structure has changed. Together, the utterance means “A useful test is whether the sentence structure has changed.”

3. Manchmal ändere ich den Wortschatz, behalte aber die ursprüngliche Logik bei.

   Sometimes I change vocabulary but keep the original logic.

   Manchmal

   sometimes

   ändere

   change

   Wortschatz

   vocabulary

   behalte … bei

   keep

   ursprüngliche

   original

   Logik

   logic

   More detail

   Manchmal means “sometimes” and places the event in an occasional, not constant, pattern. It is a useful adverb that can often move within a German clause, while the verb still occupies the finite-verb position in a main clause. ändere is the first-person singular present form of ändern, “to change.” The ending -e here marks ich: ich ändere, “I change/am changing.” The present tense can describe a current practice as well as a general routine. For example: Ich ändere den Plan. — “I change the plan.” Wortschatz means “vocabulary,” the set of words used in a language, subject area, or text. It is a masculine noun: der Wortschatz; its plural is die Wortschätze, although the singular is natural when referring to vocabulary as a whole. In this sentence, den Wortschatz is the direct object of ändere, so the masculine definite article appears as den. behalte ... bei is the separable verb beibehalten, “to keep” or “to retain.” In a main-clause statement, the finite part behalte appears in the verb position and the prefix bei moves to the end: Ich behalte die Struktur bei. — “I keep the structure.” The form behalte is also first-person singular present, matching ich; it is not the ordinary verb halten by itself. ursprüngliche is the inflected form of the adjective ursprünglich, “original.” It describes Logik here and agrees with the feminine noun phrase die ursprüngliche Logik: the adjective has the ending -e after the definite article die. The adjective means the logic that was there at the beginning, not merely “old” in any context. Logik means “logic” and is feminine: die Logik. Here it is the direct object retained by beibehalten, expressed as die ursprüngliche Logik. The sentence has two coordinated verb phrases with the same subject ich: ich ändere den Wortschatz (“I change the vocabulary”) and behalte aber die ursprüngliche Logik bei (“but keep the original logic”). aber marks the contrast between changing the wording or vocabulary and retaining the logic. The whole utterance therefore means: “Sometimes I change vocabulary but keep the original logic.”

4. Dann hängt die Paraphrase möglicherweise immer noch zu stark von der Quelle ab.

   Then the paraphrase may still depend too heavily on the source.

   Dann

   then

   hängt … von … ab

   depends on

   die Paraphrase

   the paraphrase

   möglicherweise

   possibly

   immer noch

   still

   zu stark

   too strongly

   der Quelle

   the source

   More detail

   Dann means “then” here, linking this statement to what has just been discussed. It can also refer to a time or consequence in other contexts; here it marks the next conclusion or step. hängt ... von ... ab comes from the separable verb abhängen (“to depend”). In the present tense, its third-person singular form is hängt ... ab: the stem appears in the middle of the clause and the prefix ab moves to the end. The construction von etwas abhängen takes von plus the dative. Example: Der Preis hängt vom Wetter ab. — “The price depends on the weather.” die Paraphrase is a feminine singular noun meaning “the paraphrase,” here the thing whose dependence is being described. The definite article die marks feminine singular nominative in this subject position. The noun remains Paraphrase in the accusative as well; its case is shown mainly by the article in forms such as Ich lese die Paraphrase (“I read the paraphrase”). möglicherweise means “possibly” and expresses uncertainty about the statement. It does not itself say that the dependence definitely exists; it presents that assessment as a possibility. immer noch means “still,” showing that the situation continues to hold at the relevant point. Unlike noch alone, this combination makes the continuing aspect especially clear. Example: Sie wartet immer noch. — “She is still waiting.” zu stark means “too strongly.” Here stark describes the degree of dependence, and zu marks an excessive degree: the paraphrase depends on the source more than is desirable. stark is the base form; its comparative is stärker (“stronger/more strongly”) and its superlative is am stärksten (“most strongly”). der Quelle is “the source.” Quelle is a feminine singular noun with base form die Quelle; after von, it appears as the dative der Quelle. The article changes from nominative die to dative der. Example: Die Aussage hängt von der Quelle ab. — “The statement depends on the source.” Taken together, Dann sets this assessment as the next point, and die Paraphrase hängt ... von der Quelle ab says that the paraphrase depends on the source. möglicherweise makes the assessment tentative, immer noch says the dependence continues, and zu stark evaluates its degree as excessive: “Then the paraphrase may still depend too heavily on the source.”

5. Ich sollte den Artikel wahrscheinlich schließen, bevor ich einen Entwurf schreibe.

   I should probably close the article before drafting.

   Ich sollte

   I should

   Artikel

   article

   wahrscheinlich

   probably

   schließen

   close

   bevor

   before

   Entwurf

   draft

   schreibe

   write

   More detail

   Ich sollte combines ich (“I”) with sollte, the first-person singular form used here with sollen. In this sentence, sollte is the subjunctive-II form expressing a recommendation: “I should.” The same form can also be the simple-past form of sollen in another context. A useful pattern is ich sollte + infinitive: Ich sollte warten. — “I should wait.” The infinitive appears later as schließen. Artikel means “article” here. It is masculine, so the definite article is der in the basic form but den in this sentence because the noun phrase is the direct object: Ich schließe den Artikel. — “I close the article.” The noun itself stays Artikel; the case is shown by den. wahrscheinlich means “probably.” It is an adverb, so it does not change form: Sie kommt wahrscheinlich später. — “She will probably come later.” schließen means “to close” here. It is the infinitive following the modal verb sollte; after sollen, the other verb normally remains an infinitive: Wir sollten die Tür schließen. — “We should close the door.” bevor introduces a subordinate time clause meaning “before.” In a clause introduced by bevor, the finite verb normally goes to the end. A reusable pattern is bevor + subject + ... + finite verb: Bevor ich gehe, rufe ich an. — “Before I leave, I call.” Entwurf means “draft.” It is a masculine noun. Here it is the direct object of schreibe, so the indefinite article appears as einen: Ich schreibe einen Entwurf. — “I write a draft.” Einen marks the masculine accusative noun phrase; it does not by itself assert a numerical count. schreibe means “write” here. It is the first-person singular present form of schreiben: ich schreibe. Because it is the finite verb in the bevor clause, it stands at the end of that clause: bevor ich einen Entwurf schreibe — “before I write a draft.” Together, Ich sollte den Artikel wahrscheinlich schließen means “I should probably close the article.” The time clause bevor ich einen Entwurf schreibe expresses what should happen earlier in time: “before I write a draft,” or more idiomatically here, “before drafting.” The full utterance therefore means “I should probably close the article before drafting.”

6. Das kann dich dazu zwingen, den Gedanken mit deinen eigenen Worten neu zu formulieren.

   That can force you to reconstruct the idea in your own terms.

   Das

   That

   kann

   can

   dich

   you

   dazu zwingen

   force ... to

   Gedanken

   idea; thought

   eigenen

   own

   Worten

   words

   neu zu formulieren

   to reformulate anew

   More detail

   Das means “that” here: a demonstrative pronoun referring to a situation or proposition, rather than naming a specific noun. Its form is neuter singular; the capital letter is also required because it begins the sentence. German also uses das as the neuter definite article, but that is a different function. kann is the present-tense form of können for the third-person singular: “can” or “is able to.” Here it is a modal verb, so the other verb goes to the end in the infinitive construction. For example: Das kann helfen. — “That can help.” dich is the accusative form of the second-person pronoun du, “you.” The verb construction jemanden zu etwas zwingen means “to force someone to do something”; jemanden is the person being forced. In this sentence, dich dazu zwingen means “force you to do so,” with dazu introducing the action that follows. Gedanken is the accusative singular of the masculine noun der Gedanke, “the thought” or “the idea.” The article den marks this masculine accusative form; the noun itself is Gedanke, not Gedanken as its base form. Its plural is also Gedanken, so the article or surrounding context helps distinguish the forms. eigenen comes from the adjective eigen, “own.” It agrees here with Worten: the phrase is plural and dative after mit, and the possessive determiner deinen also shows second-person singular possession. deinen eigenen Worten therefore means “your own words.” Worten is the dative plural of das Wort, “the word.” The ordinary plural is Wörter; the form Worten is used in the dative plural in this expression, especially for words considered as wording or terms. mit deinen eigenen Worten is a reusable pattern meaning “in your own words.” neu zu formulieren means “to formulate or rephrase anew.” formulieren is the infinitive, and zu marks the infinitive required by zwingen: jemanden dazu zwingen, etwas zu tun. The adverb neu modifies that action, so it says that the idea is formulated again in a new wording, not that a completely different idea is created. For example: Sie versucht, den Satz neu zu formulieren. — “She is trying to rephrase the sentence.” Together, Das kann gives “That can,” dich dazu zwingen gives “force you to,” den Gedanken ... neu zu formulieren gives “rephrase the idea anew,” and mit deinen eigenen Worten specifies the manner. The complete meaning is: “That can force you to reconstruct the idea in your own terms.”

7. Ich sollte auch dann Quellen für Aussagen angeben, wenn die Formulierung anders ist.

   I should also cite claims even when the wording differs.

   Ich sollte

   I should

   auch dann

   even then

   Quellen

   sources

   Aussagen

   claims

   angeben

   cite / state

   wenn

   when

   Formulierung

   wording

   anders

   different

   ist

   is

   More detail

   Ich sollte expresses the speaker’s recommendation or expected responsibility: “I should.” sollte is the first-person singular form of sollen used here with ich. The same form can also be the simple past of sollen, so the surrounding meaning determines the reading. Example: Du solltest die Quelle prüfen. — “You should check the source.” auch dann contributes “even then” and prepares the condition introduced by wenn. In the reusable pattern auch dann, wenn ..., it means “even when ...” or “even if ...”. The word auch adds the sense of inclusion or “also/even”; dann points to the situation described in the following clause. Quellen means “sources” here. It is the plural of Quelle; the singular and plural forms are Quelle and Quellen. Example: Nenne bitte deine Quellen. — “Please name your sources.” Aussagen means “claims” here, and can also mean “statements” in other contexts. It is the plural of Aussage. Example: Diese Aussage ist wichtig. — “This claim is important.” angeben is a separable verb meaning “to provide” or “to state”; with Quellen, Quellen angeben is the reusable expression “to cite or provide sources.” Because it follows the modal sollte, it remains in the infinitive form at the end of the main clause rather than splitting. Useful forms are gibt an (present, with a separable prefix), gab an (simple past), and hat angegeben (perfect). Example: Sie gibt die Quelle an. — “She cites the source.” wenn introduces the subordinate clause and means “when” in this sentence. Together with auch dann, it forms auch dann, wenn ... — “even when ...”. In a German subordinate clause introduced by wenn, the finite verb normally comes at the end; here that verb is ist. Formulierung means “wording” or “phrasing” here. It is a singular feminine noun; its plural is Formulierungen. The definite noun phrase die Formulierung refers to a particular wording in the intended meaning. Example: Die Formulierung ist klar. — “The wording is clear.” anders means “different” here and describes how the wording is. It is used predicatively with sein in die Formulierung anders ist, rather than modifying a noun directly. A useful contrast is gleich — “the same”: Die Formulierung ist anders. — “The wording is different.” ist is the third-person singular present form of sein, “to be.” Its subject here is the singular noun phrase die Formulierung. In the wenn clause, it appears at the end: wenn die Formulierung anders ist — “when the wording is different.” The sentence assembles as Ich sollte ... angeben (“I should cite/provide ...”) plus Quellen für Aussagen (“sources for claims”). The condition auch dann, wenn die Formulierung anders ist adds “even when the wording is different.” Thus the whole utterance means: “I should also cite claims even when the wording differs.”

8. Das ist unerlässlich, weil auch Ideen einer Quelle zugeschrieben werden müssen.

   That is essential, because ideas require attribution too.

   Das

   That

   unerlässlich

   essential

   Ideen

   ideas

   einer Quelle

   a source

   zugeschrieben

   attributed

   werden müssen

   must be

   More detail

   Das is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that” here. It is neuter singular, and the preceding context supports its reference to the point about citing claims even when the wording differs. The form itself does not independently identify that reference. unerlässlich means “essential” or “indispensable.” As a predicate adjective after sein, it has no adjective ending here. A useful contrast is notwendig (“necessary”); unerlässlich expresses especially strong necessity. Ideen means “ideas” here. It is the plural of the feminine noun die Idee: singular Idee, plural Ideen. Example: Diese Ideen sind neu. — “These ideas are new.” einer Quelle means “to a source.” Quelle is feminine, and einer is the feminine dative singular form of the indefinite article. The dative is required by jemandem etwas zuschreiben (“to attribute something to someone/something”). The indefinite article presents the source without identifying which source it is. Example: Ich schreibe die Aussage einer Quelle zu. — “I attribute the statement to a source.” zugeschrieben is the past participle of the separable verb zuschreiben, meaning “to attribute” or “to ascribe.” The thing attributed is accusative, while its source is dative: jemandem etwas zuschreiben. Example: Man schreibt die Idee der Autorin zu. — “People attribute the idea to the author.” werden müssen expresses passive obligation. In Ideen zugeschrieben werden, werden forms the passive (“ideas be attributed”); müssen adds “must.” In this weil-clause, the infinitive group occurs at the end: zugeschrieben werden müssen. A reusable pattern is X muss Y zugeschrieben werden — “X must be attributed to Y,” where X is the thing attributed and Y is its source. weil introduces the reason, and auch adds ideas to the things requiring attribution. Thus weil auch Ideen einer Quelle zugeschrieben werden müssen means “because ideas must also be attributed to a source.” Together with Das ist unerlässlich, the whole utterance means: “That is essential, because ideas require attribution too.”