code: public List<String> findAssociationPath(String targetTypeName, List<String> pathWithoutAlias) {
  		List<String> subPath = new ArrayList<String>( pathWithoutAlias.size() );
  		for ( String name : pathWithoutAlias ) {
  			subPath.add( name );
  			if ( isAssociation( targetTypeName, subPath ) ) {
  				return subPath;
  			}
  		}
  		return null;
  	}
docs: Find the path to the first association in the property path.
  
  @param targetTypeName the entity with the property
  @param pathWithoutAlias the path to the property WITHOUT the alias
  @return the path to the first association or {@code null} if there isn't an association in the property path