Deutliche

Deutliche is a term used in German grammar and linguistics as either a normal inflected form of the adjective deutlich or as a nominalized noun. As an adjective, deutlich describes something that is clear, explicit, or evident. The attributive form deutliche appears before feminine singular nouns or before plural nouns without an article, as in eine deutliche Aussage (a clear statement) or deutliche Aussagen (clear statements).

When capitalized as Deutliche, the word functions as a nominalized form of the adjective. In this use, it can denote the abstract quality of clarity or explicitness as a concept, or refer to a specific clear feature within a text or argument. The plural Die Deutlichen would similarly refer to multiple instances of this clear quality or to clearly discernible elements.

Usage and nuance: In everyday German, attributive deutliche is common and does not involve capitalization. The nominalized Deutliche is more likely to appear in scholarly writing, philosophy, literary analysis, or discussions about rhetoric, where authors discuss the presence or absence of clarity in reasoning, expression, or evidence. The term is closely related to Deutlichkeit and Klarheit, which respectively emphasize explicitness as a quality and general clearness.

See also: deutlich, Deutlichkeit, Klarheit, plain language concepts. Notes: The distinction between the adjectival form and the nominalized noun form is a standard feature of German grammar and affects article use and capitalization.