Gobierno del Reino de España

English translation: Government of the Kingdom of Spain / Spanish Government

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:Gobierno del Reino de España
English translation:Government of the Kingdom of Spain / Spanish Government
Entered by: Charles Davis

11:17 Mar 22, 2012
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Management
Spanish term or phrase: Gobierno del Reino de España
Do we actually say' Government of the Kingdom of Spain' ? or is it better to use 'the Spanish Government' ?? I know the former appears in internet, especially on Spanish sites translated into English. In my case it appears in an appeal made to the European Court of Human Rights.
I don't know whether to maintain the pomposity or go for the more practical version. What do you think???
many thanks
Karen Rosenberg
Spain
Local time: 13:29
Government of the Kingdom of Spain / Spanish Government
Explanation:
You can actually use either. I don't think we do normally say "Government of the Kingdom of Spain", but the question for you is whether the ECHR says it, and they do sometimes, though not always. If you are translating an appeal to the ECHR, it seems to me that it should be expressed in the terms normally used in that court.

You can search ECHR documents, which exist in English and French, here:
http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/search.asp

In the preamble to ECHR court reports, Spain is often, though not always, referred to as "the Kingdom of Spain". If it then goes on to refer to the Govenment as "the Spanish Government". However, when the first reference to Spain is to the government, it sometimes says "the Government of the Kingdom of Spain" and sometimes "the Spanish Government":

"PROCEDURE
1. The case was referred to the Court by the European Commission of Human Rights ("the Commission") and by the Government of the Kingdom of Spain ("the Government") on 8 and 21 March 1991 respectively"
CASE OF CASTELLS v. SPAIN (Application no. 11798/85)
JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 23 April 1992

"PROCEDURE
1. The case was referred to the Court first by the Government of the Kingdom of Spain ("the Government") and then by the European Commission of Human Rights ("the Commission") on 20 and 21 February 1992"
CASE OF RUIZ-MATEOS v. SPAIN (Application no. 12952/87)
JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 23 June 1993

etc.
----------------

"PROCEDURE
1. The case was referred to the Court, as established under former Article 19 of the Convention3, by the Spanish Government (“the Government”) on 6 January 1998, within the three-month period laid down by former Articles 32 § 1 and 47 of the Convention. It originated in an application (no. 30544/96) against the Kingdom of Spain lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 by a Spanish national, Mr Faustino Francisco García Ruiz, on 19 December 1995."


"PROCEDURE
1. The case originated in an application (no. 12050/04) against the Kingdom of Spain lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Greek national, Mr Apostolos Ioannis Mangouras (“the applicant”), on 25 March 2004.
2. The applicant was represented by Mr J.-M. Ruiz Soroa, a lawyer practising in Bilbao. The Spanish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr I. Blasco, Head of the Legal Department for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice."


So clearly either will do. But within the text of ECHR court documents, Spain is normally referred to on first mention as "the Kingdom of Spain".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 38 mins (2012-03-22 11:56:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

By the way, ECHR documents never use the expression "Government of Spain".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2012-03-22 11:57:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note, by the way, that these ECHR documents are not translated from Spanish; only English and French official versions exist.
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 13:29
Grading comment
a good solution, thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7Government of the Kingdom of Spain / Spanish Government
Charles Davis
5 +4Spanish Government / Government of Spain
Simon Bruni
4 +2Government of the Kingdom of Spain
patinba


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Spanish Government / Government of Spain


Explanation:
I have read countless books and articles over the years that would include this and never encountered "Government of the Kingdom of Spain".

Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:29
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jenni Lukac (X)
3 mins

agree  Edward Tully
9 mins

agree  Lisa McCarthy
33 mins

agree  neilmac: Keeping it simple...
3 hrs
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Government of the Kingdom of Spain / Spanish Government


Explanation:
You can actually use either. I don't think we do normally say "Government of the Kingdom of Spain", but the question for you is whether the ECHR says it, and they do sometimes, though not always. If you are translating an appeal to the ECHR, it seems to me that it should be expressed in the terms normally used in that court.

You can search ECHR documents, which exist in English and French, here:
http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/search.asp

In the preamble to ECHR court reports, Spain is often, though not always, referred to as "the Kingdom of Spain". If it then goes on to refer to the Govenment as "the Spanish Government". However, when the first reference to Spain is to the government, it sometimes says "the Government of the Kingdom of Spain" and sometimes "the Spanish Government":

"PROCEDURE
1. The case was referred to the Court by the European Commission of Human Rights ("the Commission") and by the Government of the Kingdom of Spain ("the Government") on 8 and 21 March 1991 respectively"
CASE OF CASTELLS v. SPAIN (Application no. 11798/85)
JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 23 April 1992

"PROCEDURE
1. The case was referred to the Court first by the Government of the Kingdom of Spain ("the Government") and then by the European Commission of Human Rights ("the Commission") on 20 and 21 February 1992"
CASE OF RUIZ-MATEOS v. SPAIN (Application no. 12952/87)
JUDGMENT STRASBOURG 23 June 1993

etc.
----------------

"PROCEDURE
1. The case was referred to the Court, as established under former Article 19 of the Convention3, by the Spanish Government (“the Government”) on 6 January 1998, within the three-month period laid down by former Articles 32 § 1 and 47 of the Convention. It originated in an application (no. 30544/96) against the Kingdom of Spain lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights (“the Commission”) under former Article 25 by a Spanish national, Mr Faustino Francisco García Ruiz, on 19 December 1995."


"PROCEDURE
1. The case originated in an application (no. 12050/04) against the Kingdom of Spain lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) by a Greek national, Mr Apostolos Ioannis Mangouras (“the applicant”), on 25 March 2004.
2. The applicant was represented by Mr J.-M. Ruiz Soroa, a lawyer practising in Bilbao. The Spanish Government (“the Government”) were represented by their Agent, Mr I. Blasco, Head of the Legal Department for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice."


So clearly either will do. But within the text of ECHR court documents, Spain is normally referred to on first mention as "the Kingdom of Spain".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 38 mins (2012-03-22 11:56:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

By the way, ECHR documents never use the expression "Government of Spain".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2012-03-22 11:57:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note, by the way, that these ECHR documents are not translated from Spanish; only English and French official versions exist.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 13:29
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
a good solution, thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  James A. Walsh: With over 5.5m "direct" hits for "Government of the Kingdom of Spain", I think I'd use it.
8 mins
  -> Maybe not round the dinner table, but in this context, yes :) Cheers, James.

agree  Rebecca Jowers: Yes, "Kingdom of Spain" is used frequently in ECHR, COE and EU documents, along with the official names of other member states (Kingdom of Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, etc.)
11 mins
  -> Yes indeed. Many thanks for your confirmation, Rebecca.

agree  patinba: You beat me to it! I will leave my reply as further evidence.
12 mins
  -> For once! I'm generally built for comfort rather than speed :) Many thanks, Pat

agree  Helena Chavarria
2 hrs
  -> Many thanks, Helena :)

agree  neilmac: If you want it to sound "rimbombante" (love that word)...
2 hrs
  -> So do I! Thanks a lot, Neil :)

agree  Tiffany Hardy: I agree. It's the official name - if in doubt you can consult the EU style guide http://publications.europa.eu/code/pdf/370000en.htm
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Tiffany. Good point!

agree  FRodriguez: It is an official EU term
2 days 7 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Government of the Kingdom of Spain


Explanation:
I think it depends entirely on the context, and it is not the translator's job to be more, or less, formal than the original but to reflect it as closely as possible. The following UN document uses "Government of the Kingdom of Spain" in almost every sentence.

The Government of the Kingdom of Spain has examined the reservation made by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women on [7] September 2000, regarding any interpretation of the Convention that may be incompatible with the norms of Islamic law and regarding article 9, paragraph 2.
The Government of the Kingdom of Spain considers that the general reference to Islamic law, without specifying its content, creates doubts among the other States parties
about the extent to which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commits itself to fulfil its obligations under the Convention.
The Government of the Kingdom of Spain is of the view that such a reservation by the
Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is incompatible with the object and purpose
of the Convention, since it refers to the Convention as a whole and seriously restricts or
even excludes its application on a basis as ill-defined as the general reference to Islamic
law.
Furthermore, the reservation to article 9, paragraph 2, aims at excluding one of the obligations concerning non- discrimination, which is the ultimate goal of the Convention.
The Government of the Kingdom of Spain recalls that according to article 28, paragraph 2, of the Convention, reservations that are incompatible with the object and purpose
of the Convention shall not be permitted.
Therefore, the Government of the Kingdom of Spain objects to the said reservations
by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Convention between the
Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 09:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carlos Segura
39 mins
  -> Gracias, Carlos!

agree  neilmac: Según el nivel de rimbombancia deseado...
2 hrs
  -> Right! Thanks!
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