Instalación nuclear relevante

English translation: relevant nuclear facility

20:45 Aug 26, 2013
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Nuclear Eng/Sci / Current laws and regulations
Spanish term or phrase: Instalación nuclear relevante
Good evening,

I am coming to the end of a document concerning current laws and regulations, etc. in Argetina. This being the first time I've worked on this specfic type of document and I've never seen the term 'relevante' used in this context; Although I am quite familiar with varous meanings of the term I am not at all sure of its translation in this context.
I thank you in advance for your input.
Best regards,

Richie

p.s. also used in: acelerador relevante
Richard Levy (X)
United States
Local time: 16:45
English translation:relevant nuclear facility
Explanation:
"Relevante" really has two meanings for translation purposes. It is what you might call an "unreliable friend". Sometimes it means "relevant": that it, germane, pertinent, applicable: worthy of consideration in relation to what is being discussed or considered, but sometimes -- more often, in fact -- it simply means important, significant, major: worthy of consideration in its own right, without any specific sense of relevance to a particular context. The DRAE definitions are:

"1. adj. Sobresaliente, destacado.
2. adj. Importante, significativo."

So does it mean "relevant" or "significant" here? In principle, both seem possible. Merely looking for each phrase on the Internet does not, in itself, decide the question.

The passages you have quoted come from Argentina's Ley Nacional de la Actividad Nuclear (Law 24,804, passed 2/4/97, published 24/4/97). The phrase occurs several times, but the most relevant (sorry!) part is Article/Section 30 (Chapter III), "Definiciones", which includes the following:

"e) Instalación nuclear, concepto entendido en los términos definidos en el artículo 1°, inciso j) de la Convención de Viena de Responsabilidad Civil por Daños Nucleares aprobada por ley 17.048;
d) Instalación nuclear relevante, incluye reactor nuclear, instalación crítica, instalación radiactiva relevante y acelerador relevante, de acuerdo a las definiciones establecidas o a establecer por la Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear; [...]"
http://www.ambiente.gov.ar/?aplicacion=normativa&IdNorma=109...

Now, in this context, "relevant nuclear facility" (I'd use this rather than "installation") would presumably mean one to which the law or certain provisions of the law is/are applicable, whereas "significant/major nuclear facility" would mean one of an appreciable size.

There is a very helpful document in English, the Third National Report of Argentina's Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. It's a translation, and is not faultless, but it is apparently official. It contains several references to "significant nuclear facilities":

"F.6.4 Planning of Dismantling and Decommissioning of significant nuclear facilities".

So perhaps that's what it means in the law. However, the same document contains what is apparently an official translation of the law itself, and it uses the term "relevant nuclear facility". Here is the same part of Article/Section 30, quoted in Spanish above:

"c) Nuclear facility: Concept understood in the terms defined by Article 1, item j, of the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage approved by Law Nº 17048.
d) Relevant nuclear facility: It includes nuclear reactor, critical facility, relevant radioactive facility and relevant accelerator, as defined or to be defined by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority."
http://www.cnea.gov.ar/pdfs/seguridad/THIRD NATIONAL REPORT....

I am still not entirely sure whether "relevant" is a correct translation here or a calque of "relevante", but I would be inclined to follow this version, given that it comes from an official source. I think that would be a safe option.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs (2013-08-27 12:01:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Richard,
Having slept on this, I'm much less sure that "relevant" is the right word to use here. I'm inclined to think it is a mistranslation and that "significant" or "major" is the sense. In fact I think I would modify my general statement on the translation of "relevante". Because it looks like "relevant", we're inclined to translate it that way when "relevant" makes sense, but it doesn't really mean that at all. See the DRAE synonyms, "sobresaliente", "destacado", "importante", "significativo": no mention at all of "pertinente" or "aplicable" or anything like that. It really doesn't mean "related to the matter at hand". It just means "important" or "outstanding".

"Relevant" can be OK for "relevante" to the extent that if something is important it is worth considering and therefore relevant, and conversely if it is not "relevante" it is trivial and therefore not pertinent. But I really think that in this case the official translator of the Argentine law has probably been led astray by the resemblance between "relevante" and "relevant", and that the latter is not the right word. I think I would now recommend "significant" or "major".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2013-08-28 15:53:11 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you, Richard. My pleasure.
I think we should leave the glossary entry for the moment and see what answer you get. In the absence of any indication to the contrary, I'd go with "significant".
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 00:45
Grading comment
Thanks for your help Charles. I did go with significant but am awaiting confirmation from my customer.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3relevant nuclear facility
Charles Davis


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
relevant nuclear facility


Explanation:
"Relevante" really has two meanings for translation purposes. It is what you might call an "unreliable friend". Sometimes it means "relevant": that it, germane, pertinent, applicable: worthy of consideration in relation to what is being discussed or considered, but sometimes -- more often, in fact -- it simply means important, significant, major: worthy of consideration in its own right, without any specific sense of relevance to a particular context. The DRAE definitions are:

"1. adj. Sobresaliente, destacado.
2. adj. Importante, significativo."

So does it mean "relevant" or "significant" here? In principle, both seem possible. Merely looking for each phrase on the Internet does not, in itself, decide the question.

The passages you have quoted come from Argentina's Ley Nacional de la Actividad Nuclear (Law 24,804, passed 2/4/97, published 24/4/97). The phrase occurs several times, but the most relevant (sorry!) part is Article/Section 30 (Chapter III), "Definiciones", which includes the following:

"e) Instalación nuclear, concepto entendido en los términos definidos en el artículo 1°, inciso j) de la Convención de Viena de Responsabilidad Civil por Daños Nucleares aprobada por ley 17.048;
d) Instalación nuclear relevante, incluye reactor nuclear, instalación crítica, instalación radiactiva relevante y acelerador relevante, de acuerdo a las definiciones establecidas o a establecer por la Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear; [...]"
http://www.ambiente.gov.ar/?aplicacion=normativa&IdNorma=109...

Now, in this context, "relevant nuclear facility" (I'd use this rather than "installation") would presumably mean one to which the law or certain provisions of the law is/are applicable, whereas "significant/major nuclear facility" would mean one of an appreciable size.

There is a very helpful document in English, the Third National Report of Argentina's Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. It's a translation, and is not faultless, but it is apparently official. It contains several references to "significant nuclear facilities":

"F.6.4 Planning of Dismantling and Decommissioning of significant nuclear facilities".

So perhaps that's what it means in the law. However, the same document contains what is apparently an official translation of the law itself, and it uses the term "relevant nuclear facility". Here is the same part of Article/Section 30, quoted in Spanish above:

"c) Nuclear facility: Concept understood in the terms defined by Article 1, item j, of the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage approved by Law Nº 17048.
d) Relevant nuclear facility: It includes nuclear reactor, critical facility, relevant radioactive facility and relevant accelerator, as defined or to be defined by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority."
http://www.cnea.gov.ar/pdfs/seguridad/THIRD NATIONAL REPORT....

I am still not entirely sure whether "relevant" is a correct translation here or a calque of "relevante", but I would be inclined to follow this version, given that it comes from an official source. I think that would be a safe option.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs (2013-08-27 12:01:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Richard,
Having slept on this, I'm much less sure that "relevant" is the right word to use here. I'm inclined to think it is a mistranslation and that "significant" or "major" is the sense. In fact I think I would modify my general statement on the translation of "relevante". Because it looks like "relevant", we're inclined to translate it that way when "relevant" makes sense, but it doesn't really mean that at all. See the DRAE synonyms, "sobresaliente", "destacado", "importante", "significativo": no mention at all of "pertinente" or "aplicable" or anything like that. It really doesn't mean "related to the matter at hand". It just means "important" or "outstanding".

"Relevant" can be OK for "relevante" to the extent that if something is important it is worth considering and therefore relevant, and conversely if it is not "relevante" it is trivial and therefore not pertinent. But I really think that in this case the official translator of the Argentine law has probably been led astray by the resemblance between "relevante" and "relevant", and that the latter is not the right word. I think I would now recommend "significant" or "major".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day19 hrs (2013-08-28 15:53:11 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you, Richard. My pleasure.
I think we should leave the glossary entry for the moment and see what answer you get. In the absence of any indication to the contrary, I'd go with "significant".

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 00:45
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 18
Grading comment
Thanks for your help Charles. I did go with significant but am awaiting confirmation from my customer.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hello Charles, I want to thank you for that beautiful and thorough answer. By the way, I have been using facility as well as plant depending on the circumstance; As regards 'relevant; I had thought about the term important/ significant but will mull it over totally before submititnng my dcument. Nite!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search