abrogarse / abrogándose

English translation: (misuse of "abrogarse")

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Spanish term or phrase:	abrogarse / abrogándose
English translation:	(misuse of "abrogarse")
Entered by:	Rebecca Jowers

15:03 Sep 2, 2006

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general)

Spanish term or phrase: abrogarse / abrogándose

I'm having trouble understanding the use of "abrogarse" and "abrogándose" below. I pasted the preceeding paragraphs for context; I can't find anything in the text to suggest repeal, cancellation or recission of powers (I understand its the opposite that's happening here). An explanation of the use of these words here would be much appreciated.

TelCom demandó a la Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC) ante la Junta Reglamentadora de Telecomunicaciones por violación a disposiciones de la Ley de Telecomunicaciones, reclamando sobre un millón de dólares por los daños alegadamente sufridos.

La PRTC presentó ante la Junta una moción de desestimación por falta de jurisdicción, alegando que la Junta no tenía facultad para atender una reclamación de daños y perjuicios. La Junta declaró que no ha lugar a la solicitud de desestimación de la demanda, afirmando que poseía jurisdicción para adjudicar el caso debido a que tiene autoridad implícita para otorgar daños. Inconforme, la PRTC acudió ante el Tribunal de Apelaciones, alegando que la Junta erró al determinar que tenía jurisdicción para adjudicar reclamaciones de daños y perjuicios.

El foro apelativo expidió el auto y confirmó la determinación de la Junta. Razonó que los tribunales son los llamados a dilucidar si una acción administrativa está concebida o cobijada dentro de los poderes delegados o si, por el contrario, actuó ultra vires la agencia al **abrogarse** poderes no conferidos en ley.

Sostuvo dicho foro que la Ley de Telecomunicaciones, aun cuando no le concede expresamente a la Junta jurisdicción sobre reclamaciones de daños, le confiere amplios poderes a dicha entidad, los cuales, interpretados liberalmente, incluyen la autoridad para atender reclamaciones en daños. Razonó que, a la luz de los propósitos que persigue la referida Ley y los poderes conferidos a la Junta, la facultad para conceder daños se puede inferir.

Inconforme con la determinación, PRTC acudió ante este Tribunal, vía certiorari, en revisión de dicha resolución. Le imputó al foro apelativo haber errado:
... al confirmar la determinación de la cual utilizó como fundamento su resolución del 1 de julio de 1999, **abrogándose*** [sic] facultad legal para adjudicar reclamaciones de daños monetarios, aún [sic] cuando su ley orgánica guarda silencio en cuanto a dicha facultad.

jmf KudoZ activity Questions: 1023 (9 open) (16 closed without grading) Answers: 84 United States
Local time: 15:42

misuse of "abrogarse"

Explanation:
From the context you provide, it appears that the author of this text did not mean "abrogar", which in the DRAE has only the following meaning:

abrogar.
Del lat. abrogare.
1. tr. Der. Abolir, revocar. ABROGAR una ley, un código.

In my reading, the writer has misused the word and probably meant:

ATRIBUIR

"atribuirse" (not "abrogarse") poderes no conferidos en ley"

"atribuyéndose" (not "abrogándose") facultad legal para adjudicar reclamaciones de daños monetarios"

This use of "atribuir" is very common in Spain and I believe it MIGHT be what was intended in your text.

"asumir" (poderes, facultades) might also fit the context.

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Note added at 32 mins (2006-09-02 15:36:14 GMT)
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If you believe this is the correct interpretation, you might translate the phrases as follows:

actuó ultra vires al **abrogarse** poderes no conferidos en ley = the agency acted ultra vires when assuming powers not conferred upon it by law

**abrogándose*** [sic] facultad legal = assuming legal authority to

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Note added at 1 hr (2006-09-02 16:34:08 GMT)
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For additional info, I thought it might be of interest here to quote the entry in Bryan Garner's "A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage" (OUP, 2nd. ed., 1995), which notes that "abrogate", "arrogate" (and also "obrogate") are often confused in English:

"Abrogate", far more common than "obrogate", means "to abolish (a law or established usage) by authoritative or formal action; annul; repeal." "Abrogate" is occasionally confused with "arrogate" (= "to usurp"). The proper use of "abrogate" is illustrated here: "Texas courts will abrogate school district policies only when they clearly violate statutory provisions."

"Obrogate" is a civil-law term meaning "to repeal (a law) by passing a new one." (OED)

"Arrogate" (= to usurp) is properly used in the following sentence: "Courts may arrogate the authority of deciding what the individual may say and may not say..."

Under the entry for "arrogate" Garner notes that it is a "transitive verb and should not be used reflexively".

Selected response from:

Rebecca Jowers
Spain
Local time: 21:42

Grading comment

Thanks again
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +4

misuse of "abrogarse"

Rebecca Jowers

5 +1

abrogation, repeal, annulment -- (the act of abrogating; an official or legal cancellation)

Robert Copeland

5 +1

to give oneself the right to do something

Jerónimo Fernández

arrogate unto itself

Antonio Barros

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

abrogation, repeal, annulment -- (the act of abrogating; an official or legal cancellation)

Explanation:
here you go!

Robert Copeland
United States
Local time: 15:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 430

14 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

to give oneself the right to do something

Explanation:
It's a relatively common mistake among Spanish speakers (at least in Spain, but this is clearly the case here too). The right verb is actually "arrogar" (according to the DRAE: 1. tr. p. us. Atribuir, adjudicar; 2. prnl. Apropiarse indebida o exageradamente de cosas inmateriales, como facultades, derechos u honores.).

See other examples of misuse of "abrogar" when "arrogar" should have been used:

Es una celebración del conjunto de la sociedad, nadie puede abrogarse el derecho de ser propietario del Zócalo de la ciudad de México, ni nadie puede **abrogarse** el derecho de ser el único actor o el único invitado a esta fiesta que es de todos, lo que sería irresponsable es que no lo hiciéramos.
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/370948.html

Lo que se respeta en este valor es el derecho de cualquier persona a hacer sus propias opciones, recibiendo la información necesaria. Es claro en casos quirúrgicos, donde a pocos cirujanos se les ocurriría **abrogarse** el derecho a decidir extirpar los ovarios de una paciente sometida a histerectomía, sin haberle preguntado antes a ella, y explicado las razones de la decisión.
http://www.inter-mediacion.com/etica.htm

Jerónimo Fernández
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 12

55 mins confidence:

arrogate unto itself

Explanation:
Since this is Puerto Rico we are talking about, and there is constant cross-pollination between English and Spanish, this is an example of Spanglish, albeit rather erudite.

I suspect the writer meant that the agency acted beyond the scope of its authority in arrogating unto itself powers it did not have. So the writer "spangliziced" the term arrogate. But I think translator's discretion warrants giving effect to what the writer undoubtedly meant.

Example sentence(s):

It is presumptuous for a private group to arrogate unto itself the authority to police speech by candidates engaged in a public, constitutional function
No man, nor should any authority arrogate unto itself the right to take away life.

Antonio Barros
Brazil
Local time: 16:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Portuguese
PRO pts in category: 31

20 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

misuse of "abrogarse"

Rebecca Jowers
Spain
Local time: 21:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 2222

Grading comment

Thanks again

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