+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 20

Thread: Need help with a legal phrase

 
  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    6
    Rep Power
    164

    Question Need help with a legal phrase

    Hello,
    I am translating a document in which the phrase: YO ERA ELEJIBLE PARA LA "VALVULA DE
    ESCAPE"
    . Does this mean Escape Clause?

    Your help is appreciated. Thank you.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Xóchitl L.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    429
    Rep Power
    616

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    Hello Magdalena,

    Válvula de escape means: safety valve, cut-out valve, discharge valve, escape valve, exhaust valve.

    La frase: Yo era elegible para la válvula de escape (I was eligible for the escape valve) ... does not make any sense.

    Regards,

    Xóchitl L.
    Last edited by Xóchitl L.; 01-17-2011 at 09:35 AM.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Texas, USA
    Posts
    1,973
    Rep Power
    5020

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    Hi magdalena! I haven't heard the phrase before but "I was eligible for the "valvula de escape" (escape valve)" sounds to me like "I was eligible for the escape clause' in a legal context. I would assume your interpretation is correct.

    **However, since Xóchitl L says it doesn{t make any sense then I suggest you wait for one of our legal translators to give an opinion.
    Last edited by vicente; 01-16-2011 at 10:03 PM.
    vicente

  4. #4
    Senior Member Xóchitl L.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    429
    Rep Power
    616

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    Hola Magdalena,

    I agree with you and Vicente about "escape clause'' in a legal context, since the definition makes complete sense.

    ESCAPE CLAUSE:

    A clause in a contract that specifies the conditions under which the promisor is relieved of liability for failure to meet the terms of the contract.

    BUT the term "válvula de escape" makes no sense to me. I went to a Law School in Mexico and never heard of it. There is the possibility that it is a new legal term.

    Regards,

    Xóchitl L.
    Last edited by Xóchitl L.; 01-16-2011 at 10:22 PM.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Cotty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Caracas, Venezuela
    Age
    63
    Posts
    728
    Rep Power
    489

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    Maybe if you post the whole paragraph, we can figure out why such an absurd phrase is in that sentence. You need the antecedent of válvula de escape, i.e. the first time this phrase appears in the doc. or something that relates to it.

    Further to the meanings of válvula de escape provided by Xóchi, there is a figurative or idiomatic meaning to the phrase:

    válvula de escape Actividad que permite a una persona salir de una situación aburrida o librarse de un trabajo excesivo o problema.

    However, this meaning does not seem to fit a legal frame. As I said, send some more context before we discard it entirely.

    Also, elegible is misspelled there, which is very rare for a legal doc. Could there also be a possibility that it is claúsula en lugar de válvula?
    Last edited by Cotty; 01-16-2011 at 10:34 PM.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Texas, USA
    Posts
    1,973
    Rep Power
    5020

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    This might not be a legal document. The use of first person sounds more like a letter or memo or statement written by an individual so the document and phrase may be informal.

    The term "escape valve" is common in English and can be used informally to describe a form of relief from the pressure of a situation or obligation.

    It is similar to "escape route".

    If the subject "document" is not actually a legal document and the writer was attempting to express that he had an option to get out of a situation then the sentence makes sense to me, in English anyway, even if it is not the best choice of words.
    vicente

  7. #7
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    6
    Rep Power
    164

    Thumbs up Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    Hello and thank you all.

    I was able to find the phrase in the gentleman's Court paperwork. I will quote part of the sentence here: "The defense took the position that the Proffer was satisfactory for
    "safety valve" purposes". It sounds strange but.....................

    Again, thank you all..We live and learn.

    Magdalena

  8. #8
    Senior Member Cotty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Caracas, Venezuela
    Age
    63
    Posts
    728
    Rep Power
    489

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    Well, this is the legal forum, so I'm under the assumption that we are dealing with a legal document, not a word processor document or the like. And the post title is legal phrase.

    I have never heard escape valve in the figurative meaning in English, as I stated it for the Spanish válvula de escape in my previous post.

    As usual, Magadalena is the only one that can shed some light in the matter...

    Will the mistery be solved? Stay tunned ...

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Texas, USA
    Posts
    1,973
    Rep Power
    5020

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    I have seen a number of posts in this forum that were not of a legal nature.

    Magadalena: Thanks for the additional information but how did you come up with the sentence " YO ERA ELEJIBLE PARA LA "VALVULA DE
    ESCAPE"
    ?

    The term safety valve also makes sense in the sentence "The defense took the position that the Proffer was satisfactory for
    "safety valve" purposes", which I would take to mean that the proffer provided a fallback position.
    vicente

  10. #10
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    6
    Rep Power
    164

    Default Re: Need help with a legal phrase

    For some reason the response did not go through.

    Thank you Vicente for your responses. The words that needed translation came from a petition that the gentleman is making. He made in essence a rough draft in spanish and it needed translation.
    When I made the request I had forgotten that I had copies of the Court proceedings. I went to them and read the part that was consistent with the spanish wording..It is indeed SAFETY VALVE.

    We live and learn every day.
    Thanks again.

    Magdalena

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Legal Translation
    By sadwhit23 in forum Spanish to English Legal Translation
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 08-04-2012, 02:01 AM
  2. due legal process
    By bedfords in forum English to Spanish Legal Translation
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 06-16-2008, 02:22 PM
  3. legal dictionaries
    By thrillseeka820 in forum English to Spanish Legal Translation
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 05-05-2008, 01:59 PM
  4. legal terms
    By MaryM in forum English to Spanish Legal Translation
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 06-19-2007, 04:27 PM
  5. legal terms
    By MaryM in forum General English to Spanish Translation
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 05-08-2007, 03:20 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •