responsable

English translation: responsible for/leader

14:27 Aug 7, 2002

Spanish to English translations [PRO]

Spanish term or phrase: responsable

I hate translating this word. Again it's in the minutes of a meeting and it's a title. It's obviously the person in charge, but any suggestions as to a good title. All I can think of is "manager" but I was wondering if anyone can come up with anything more generic.

A. Deb KudoZ activity Questions: 775 (5 open) (1 without valid answers) (49 closed without grading) Answers: 245 Spain
Local time: 18:35

English translation:responsible for/leader

Explanation:
I agree with you. I can't tell you how many times I have seen Spanish people translate this directly into English, i.e. Project Responsible, Relationship Responsible, etc.

Sometimes you can turn this into an adjective, i.e. the individual responsible for methodology development, or the individual in charge of client relationships.

If you need an actual title, do you know if the company described in the text has official translations of their titles, official titles in English? If not, I think manager is fine, also "leader" can sometimes be used, i.e. Methodology leader, team leader, etc.

Ref. experience

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Note added at 2002-08-07 15:12:59 (GMT)
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Director is also a good term, as Erhan mentioned. It is generic enough.

Selected response from:

Maria Riegger (X)
Local time: 12:35

Grading comment

Thanks everyone. Sorry I couldn't give you more context, but unfortunately there was none!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +5

person in charge

Henry Hinds

5 +2

head

Marian Greenfield

4 +2

Head of.... or Person in charge of.....

jafroome

4 +2

in charge of/Head of/manager in charge...

MikeGarcia

responsible for/leader

Maria Riegger (X)

The incumbent

María Eugenia Wachtendorff

Chairperson

Gabriela Minsky

Organizer?

luskie

director

erhan ucgun (X)

Host

Gedece

Answers

1 min confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

person in charge

Explanation:
Even though you might hate it, that's it.

Exp.

Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 10:35
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 26512

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Head of.... or Person in charge of.....

Explanation:
Good luck!

jafroome
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:35
PRO pts in pair: 55

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

in charge of/Head of/manager in charge...

Explanation:
Three possibilities.

MikeGarcia
Spain
Local time: 18:35
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 2592

5 mins confidence:

director

Explanation:
if it is a board of directors meeting, it may be so

erhan ucgun (X)
Local time: 19:35
PRO pts in pair: 15

22 mins confidence:

Host

Explanation:
I think host might be it, but given the lack of context, I can't be sure

Gedece
Argentina
Local time: 13:35
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 18

27 mins confidence:

Chairperson

Explanation:
If you are talking about the person heading the meeting. Could you give us some context?

Gabriela Minsky
Local time: 13:35
Native speaker of:

Spanish

32 mins confidence:

Organizer?

Explanation:
just thinking of meetings...

luskie
Local time: 18:35
Native speaker of:

Italian
PRO pts in pair: 199

34 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

head

Explanation:
it's impossible to translate <responsable> without at least a full sentence of context.

The person in charge of what? head of a dept? Chair of the meeting??

Marian Greenfield
Local time: 12:35
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 14617

44 mins confidence:

responsible for/leader

Maria Riegger (X)
Local time: 12:35
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 28

Grading comment

Thanks everyone. Sorry I couldn't give you more context, but unfortunately there was none!

10 hrs confidence:

The incumbent

Explanation:
I used to hate it as much as you do, but in my 8 years with The Chase Manhattan Bank I learnt that "el responsable" is "the incumbent", just as "something that is incumbent on someone" means "algo que es responsabilidad de alguien".

"The incumbent" is also used to refer to "el interesado", e.g., "this certificate is issued at the request of the incumbent."

I think you should consider including this in the glossary. Good look.

María Eugenia Wachtendorff
Chile
Local time: 12:35
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 3887

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