Breakdown of Wij onderzoeken in hoeverre de aansprakelijkheid voor het intellectueel eigendom geldt.
wij
we
voor
for (on behalf of)
onderzoeken
to investigate
gelden
to apply / be valid (rules, conditions)
Questions & Answers about Wij onderzoeken in hoeverre de aansprakelijkheid voor het intellectueel eigendom geldt.
Why is there no -e on the end of intellectueel, even though it follows het?
Because eigendom is a neuter noun (het-word), you would normally expect the adjective to get an -e ending when preceded by het. However, in several fixed, formal, or legal terms, the -e is traditionally dropped in Dutch. Het intellectueel eigendom (intellectual property) is one of these standard phrases.
How does in hoeverre affect the sentence structure here?
In hoeverre translates to "to what extent." It acts as a subordinating conjunction introducing a subordinate clause (which functions as an indirect question). Because it triggers subordinate word order, the verb in that part of the sentence (geldt) is pushed all the way to the end.
Is there a difference between in hoeverre and tot hoever?
Yes. While tot hoever means "how far" regarding physical distance or a tangible limit, in hoeverre is used for abstract or figurative degrees. Since this sentence discusses the abstract concept of legal liability, in hoeverre is the right choice for "to what extent."
What is the infinitive of geldt and what does it mean in this context?
The infinitive is gelden, which means "to apply," "to be valid," or "to count." Here, the sentence is investigating whether or not the liability applies or is legally valid for this specific intellectual property.