ChatGPT:
Here is a clear and precise English translation:
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator among a plurality of power generators that is generating power, and a voltage value of at least one power generator that has not yet started power generation."
あなた:
ChatGPT:
Excellent observation — and yes, you're absolutely right.
In Japanese, the phrase 「複数の発電装置のうちの」 clearly scopes both:
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「少なくとも１つの発電中の発電装置」
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「少なくとも１つの発電開始前の発電装置」
as subsets of the same plurality. But in English, if we don’t explicitly say that the non-operating generator(s) are also part of that same group, it can create ambiguity — especially in legal, technical, or patent contexts.
So, the more faithful and unambiguous translation would be:
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator, among a plurality of power generators, that is generating power, and a voltage value of at least one other power generator, among the plurality, that has not yet started power generation."
This keeps both parties clearly within the same group and avoids the misreading that the pre-start generator might be from somewhere else.
あなた:
ChatGPT:
Both of your options are grammatically valid, but there's a key difference in clarity and emphasis. Here's a breakdown of each:
✅ Option 1
"A voltage difference between, among a plurality of power generators, a voltage value of at least one power generator that is generating power and a voltage value of at least one power generator that has not yet started power generation."
✅ Pros:
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Unambiguous: The phrase "among a plurality of power generators" clearly modifies both generators (the operating and non-operating ones).
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Formally correct and very close to Japanese sentence structure.
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Suitable for technical writing or patent claims.
⚠️ Minor issue:
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The commas around "among a plurality of power generators" can slightly interrupt the flow. Removing them improves readability:
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator, among a plurality of power generators, that is generating power and a voltage value of at least one power generator that has not yet started power generation."
⚠️ Option 2
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator that is generating power and a voltage value of at least one power generator that has not yet started power generation, among a plurality of power generators."
⚠️ Problem:
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The phrase "among a plurality of power generators" appears only at the end, so it may seem to modify only the second generator (the non-operating one), not both.
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This creates the very ambiguity you were trying to avoid.
✅ Recommendation:
Go with Option 1, ideally with the comma adjusted:
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator, among a plurality of power generators, that is generating power and a voltage value of at least one power generator that has not yet started power generation."
Or, slightly more readable:
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one of a plurality of power generators that is generating power and a voltage value of at least one of the power generators that has not yet started power generation."
あなた:
Is your initial translation acceptable, after all, given the fact that the original Japanese sentence also suffers from the same type of ambiguity due to the placement of the modifying clause? Namely, 複数の発電装置のうちの placed at the beginning seems to introduce a slight ambiguity as to whether it pins on the 発電開始前の発電装置 as well.ChatGPT:
Excellent point — and yes, your observation is spot-on.
✅ Summary of the situation:
You're absolutely right that the original Japanese sentence:
複数の発電装置のうちの少なくとも１つの発電中の発電装置の電圧値と少なくとも１つの発電開始前の発電装置の電圧値との間の電圧差
—has a parallel structure that strongly implies, but does not overtly repeat, that both 発電装置 types (発電中 and 発電開始前) are within 複数の発電装置. It relies on inference, not repetition.
This makes your original question very sharp: if the Japanese allows (or even requires) this degree of economical ambiguity, can the English mirror that?
💡 Answer:
Yes — my initial translation is acceptable if you are aiming for a faithful mirror of the Japanese, preserving its structure and relying on logical inference:
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator among a plurality of power generators that is generating power, and a voltage value of at least one power generator that has not yet started power generation."
This translation matches the Japanese in form and in its potential slight ambiguity — which, as in the Japanese, is usually resolved by context (e.g., diagrams, system definitions, claim scope).
🟨 However...
In English, especially in technical or legal contexts (e.g., patent claims), we tend to avoid even small ambiguities, because:
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The reader may not interpret the logic as intended.
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Patent examiners or legal reviewers often demand explicit logical scoping.
So while the original translation is defensible and faithful, it would be wise to clarify if possible, especially in critical contexts.
✅ Best of both worlds version (faithful + clear):
"A voltage difference between a voltage value of at least one power generator, among a plurality of power generators, that is generating power and a voltage value of at least one other power generator, among the plurality, that has not yet started power generation."
This mirrors the Japanese intent and adds just enough clarification to prevent misreading — without distorting the meaning.
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