Word Order and Translation

Two basic kinds of word order:

(1) The important element comes at the end of the sentence.
Cellulose ist in Wasser und verdünnten Säuren unlöslich.

The trick for me is to read the entire sentence before translating. A predicate adjective or some other important element may be at the end of the sentence, but it is translated immediately after the verb.


(2a) Normal Word Order
Präsident Roosevelt verkündete die vier Freiheiten im Jahre 1941.

This is English order. I see few sentences like this.


(2b) Inverted Word Order - 1
Im Jahre 1941 verkündete Präsident Roosevelt die vier Freiheiten.

This is O-V-S word order. I can see myself getting really confused about which is the subject element and which is the object.


(2c) Inverted Word Order - 2

Die vier Freiheiten verkündete Präsident Roosevelt im Jahre 1941.

This is also an O-V-S order, with the direct object in the first position of the sentence. In any case, it seems like the verb takes second position and whatever immediately follows or precedes it should be the noun phrase subject.

The hints I am getting for translation:

When the first element is an adverb or adverb phrase, translate it first and then the subject.
When a direct object begins the sentence – assuming I can tell that it is the DO – either translate the subject first and proceed in order or begin with the object and translate as a passive construction.

To me, it seems that identifying the subject and beginning there are the key.