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17:00 Feb 12, 2012
Spanish to English translations [PRO] Law/Patents - Law (general)
Spanish term or phrase:unión de declarar
This is from a report from a Guatemalan court case. The parties, as usual, give their particulars, and one reads thus: LA PARTE AGRAVIADA, representada por FULANO DE TAL, de 58 años de edad, soltero *(union de declarar)*, agricultor etc. etc.
The words *union de declarar are set in parentheses.
I imagine this means that he is living in some kind of declared common-law marriage, but I am not sure, and can't find any confirmation.
(Please feel free to answer in Spanish or English. I am required to state a preference below, but I am grateful for assistance in any language.)
Explanation: The "unión" part is straightforward; it obviously refers to a "unión de hecho", a civil union, which, as Lorena says, is recognised and defined in Guatemala's Código Civil. The part I have been puzzling over is "de declarar". I have not found the expression "unión de declarar" anywhere else. The question is, does it mean that the union has been declared or that it has not? I am inclined to interpret it as the latter, though someone may come along and shoot me down on this. If the union had been declared, I think it would say "unión declarada", as here, for example:
So I think "de declarar" probably means, in effect, "por declarar" or "pendiente de declarar": a union that could be but has not actually (yet) been prepared. This is presumably why the person is, for legal purposes, "soltero".
Civil union, "unión de hecho", exists in Guatemalan law and is covered in articles 173-189 of the Código Civil. Here is art. 173:
"CAPITULO II
DE LA UNION DE HECHO
CUANDO PROCEDE DECLARARLA
ARTICULO 173. La unión de hecho de un hombre y de una mujer con capacidad para contraer matrimonio, puede ser declarada por ellos mismos ante el alcalde de su vecindad o un notario, para que produzca efectos legales, siempre que exista hogar y la vida en común se haya mantenido constantemente por más de tres años ante sus familiares y relaciones sociales, cumpliendo los fines de procreación, alimentación y educación de los hijos y de auxilio recíproco." http://www.scribd.com/doc/2532415/codigo-civil-guatemala
It has existed for some time in Guatemala:
"ORIGEN DE LA UNIÓN DE HECHO:
Figura muy singular, ya que prácticamente solo esta legislada en Guatemala. Existen figuras similares en Estados Unidos y en países de Sudamérica, pero no en las condiciones y requisitos que exige nuestra legislación, y además está protegido por nuestra carta magna.
Data de 1944, específicamente con la Revolución y fue concretada el 29 de octubre de 1947 cuando se emitió el "ESTATUTO DE LAS UNIONES DE HECHO"." http://www.monografias.com/trabajos48/derecho-civil/derecho-...
So to be registered and legally recognised, a civil union has to be declared, normally before the "alcalde" or the notary. Here, as I interpret it, there is a de facto civil union that has not been declared.
The alternative, of course, is that "de declarar" means "declarada", but I just think that would be a very strange way of putting it.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 52 mins (2012-02-12 17:53:06 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Needless to say, "that has not actually (yet) been prepared", in the third paragraph above, should read "that has not actually (yet) been declared". Sorry!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 55 mins (2012-02-12 17:55:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I have used the expression "civil union", which as I understand it is the standard term in the US. In the UK it would probably be called a "civil partnership", but I imagine you want American terminology.
No room below to expand on my comment, but by "undeclared" I don't mean that the person did not declare his marital status to the court, but that he had not declared his civil union before the mayor or the notary and had it officially recognised. Note the references to "declaring" civil unions in the Código Civil. I think he told the court that he was living in a civil union, but added (or admitted) that he had not had it declared. They therefore put him down as single, but recorded his statement in parentheses. I think this hangs together.
Yes, you are right...here is the civil code in regards to marriage and unions in Guatemala
La Unión de Hecho es un acto declarativo
Elementos:
Es la unión de un hombre y una mujer con capacidad para contraer matrimonio,
Siempre que exista hogar y vida en común,
Se haya mantenido constantemente por más de tres años
Ante familiares y relaciones sociales cumpliendo con los fines del matrimonio http://www.tnrelaciones.com/cm/preguntas_y_respuestas/conten...
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
50 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
undeclared civil union
Explanation: The "unión" part is straightforward; it obviously refers to a "unión de hecho", a civil union, which, as Lorena says, is recognised and defined in Guatemala's Código Civil. The part I have been puzzling over is "de declarar". I have not found the expression "unión de declarar" anywhere else. The question is, does it mean that the union has been declared or that it has not? I am inclined to interpret it as the latter, though someone may come along and shoot me down on this. If the union had been declared, I think it would say "unión declarada", as here, for example:
So I think "de declarar" probably means, in effect, "por declarar" or "pendiente de declarar": a union that could be but has not actually (yet) been prepared. This is presumably why the person is, for legal purposes, "soltero".
Civil union, "unión de hecho", exists in Guatemalan law and is covered in articles 173-189 of the Código Civil. Here is art. 173:
"CAPITULO II
DE LA UNION DE HECHO
CUANDO PROCEDE DECLARARLA
ARTICULO 173. La unión de hecho de un hombre y de una mujer con capacidad para contraer matrimonio, puede ser declarada por ellos mismos ante el alcalde de su vecindad o un notario, para que produzca efectos legales, siempre que exista hogar y la vida en común se haya mantenido constantemente por más de tres años ante sus familiares y relaciones sociales, cumpliendo los fines de procreación, alimentación y educación de los hijos y de auxilio recíproco." http://www.scribd.com/doc/2532415/codigo-civil-guatemala
It has existed for some time in Guatemala:
"ORIGEN DE LA UNIÓN DE HECHO:
Figura muy singular, ya que prácticamente solo esta legislada en Guatemala. Existen figuras similares en Estados Unidos y en países de Sudamérica, pero no en las condiciones y requisitos que exige nuestra legislación, y además está protegido por nuestra carta magna.
Data de 1944, específicamente con la Revolución y fue concretada el 29 de octubre de 1947 cuando se emitió el "ESTATUTO DE LAS UNIONES DE HECHO"." http://www.monografias.com/trabajos48/derecho-civil/derecho-...
So to be registered and legally recognised, a civil union has to be declared, normally before the "alcalde" or the notary. Here, as I interpret it, there is a de facto civil union that has not been declared.
The alternative, of course, is that "de declarar" means "declarada", but I just think that would be a very strange way of putting it.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 52 mins (2012-02-12 17:53:06 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Needless to say, "that has not actually (yet) been prepared", in the third paragraph above, should read "that has not actually (yet) been declared". Sorry!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 55 mins (2012-02-12 17:55:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I have used the expression "civil union", which as I understand it is the standard term in the US. In the UK it would probably be called a "civil partnership", but I imagine you want American terminology.
Charles Davis Local time: 07:30 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 328
Grading comment
This is the one I used
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Charles, I was wondering about the "de declarar"--whether it meant "declared" or "to be declared" and I appreciate all the research you have put into it.
1 hr confidence:
give marital staus
Explanation: in this text it already says "sinle"; the words in brackets are telling the person to state whether single, married, divorced....
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr (2012-02-12 18:12:35 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
sorry for typo
status
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2 hrs (2012-02-12 19:48:19 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I am not suggesting it is accidental as I cannot see the original document - but if it is in brackets, just as you have given it here, it does strongly suggest that my answer may be correct.
AllegroTrans United Kingdom Local time: 06:30 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 892
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, AllegorTrans, this is a completely different way of looking at it. Are you suggesting that the typist accidentally put that in there? None on the other headings such as edad, nombre etc. are shown in that way.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
