Voraussetzung ist, dass eine feste Beziehung zwischen X und Y angenommen werden kann

English translation: (you understand it correctly)

16:56 Mar 19, 2007

German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Computers: Software

German term or phrase: Voraussetzung ist, dass eine feste Beziehung zwischen X und Y angenommen werden kann

CONTEXT: Voraussetzung für die Verwendung dieser Methode ist also, dass eine feste Beziehung zwischen dem Fortschritt des Objekts und dem im Objekt hinterlegten Bezugsobjekt angenommen werden kann (z.B. Qualitätsprüfung und Fertigung).
I'm confused about the use of 'angenommen werden kann' in this sentence because the first part of the sentence is referring to a prerequisite, or requirement, so I would have expected the sentence to end with something like 'angenommen wird'. Then the sentence would mean that, to use this method, you must therefore assume that there a fixed relationship between the progress of the object and the reference object stored in the object, etc. etc. The 'kann' here seems to be the confusing bit (I think?!).

Sinead@gmail (X)

English translation:(you understand it correctly)

Explanation:
You could argue that there is a little sloppiness here, but it's not really over the line. It's kind of a hybrid of 2 sentences that "crashed".

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-03-19 17:56:47 GMT)
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You see stuff like this in English all the time. Here's one that keeps the "kann", albeit a little awkwardly.

"it is a precondition..... that a fixed relationship..... must be assumABLE"

John Ruskin it ain't, but it flies.

Selected response from:

Jim Tucker (X)
United States

Grading comment

Many thanks for you help. Will take on your suggestion. Danke nochmals!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

(you understand it correctly)

Jim Tucker (X)

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

...angenommen werden kann...

(you understand it correctly)

Jim Tucker (X)
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Many thanks for you help. Will take on your suggestion. Danke nochmals!

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi Jim (and Rolf and Manuela), Thanks for your help but I'm still confused. If I use 'can' here, the 'obligatory' sense of 'must' is omitted. But if I ignore 'kann', the sentence isn't correct. The sentence would read something like "To use this method, a fixed relationship can therefore be assumed between the progress of the object and the reference object stored in the object." which I don't think is correct.

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