el divorcio es una de las causas de disolución del matrimonio

English translation: divorce is one of the legal means by which marriage is terminated

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:el divorcio es una de las causas de disolución del matrimonio
English translation:divorce is one of the legal means by which marriage is terminated
Entered by: Rebecca Jowers

02:51 Mar 29, 2015
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general)
Spanish term or phrase: el divorcio es una de las causas de disolución del matrimonio
I'm translating a letter from an attorney in El Salvador into English, and there’s something that I find confusing. He starts the letter by saying: el motivo de la presente es para comunicarle que en El Salvador, el divorcio es una de las causas de disolución del matrimonio. How would you translate “causas” in this context? It’s not “grounds”. Thanks in advance for any input.
mrtwty20
divorce is one of the legal means by which marriage is terminated
Explanation:
You may certainly word this otherwise, but this may be useful is you prefer to avoid using the term "grounds." In Spanish law (and, I assume from your text, in El Salvador as well) “disolución del matrimonio” is a broad term encompassing the three legal means by which a marriage terminates under most civil codes: “disolución de matrimonio por la muerte de uno de los cónyuges, por declaración de fallecimiento de uno de los cónyuges o por divorcio.”

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2015-03-30 06:45:53 GMT)
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The expression "causas de divorcio" (and in some Spanish-speaking jurisdictions, "causales de divorcio") generally denotes "grounds for divorce." But I have offered this alternative given that you prefer to avoid the term "grounds." If you google "causas de divorcio" and "causales de divorcio" limiting your search to El Salvador websites (site:.sv), you will see that "causas/causales de divorcio" is used in the sense of "grounds for divorce" on many official websites, particularly the library of the "Corte Suprema de Justicia."
Selected response from:

Rebecca Jowers
Spain
Local time: 18:38
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6divorce is one of the legal means by which marriage is terminated
Rebecca Jowers
4divorce is grounds/cause for the dissolution of marriage
Ray Ables
5 -2divorce is one of the reasons/pitfalls for the downfall of marriage
Phoenix III
3divorce is one of the ways a marriage can be dissolved
Adrian MM. (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -2
divorce is one of the reasons/pitfalls for the downfall of marriage


Explanation:
People don't want to get married to avoid going through a divorce, as in "just in case ".
And if you think about it it's true: divorce is the pitfall of marriage.

Phoenix III
United States
Local time: 12:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 58

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Jennifer Levey: 'disolución del matrimonio' is a rather precise legal term, far removed from your 'social' appreciation.
2 mins

disagree  AllegroTrans: the ST isn't a social commentary but a legal explanation
9 hrs
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
divorce is grounds/cause for the dissolution of marriage


Explanation:
divorce is grounds/cause for the dissolution of marriage

Divorce is usually the cause, there's also annulment...

So you could go with a literal translation or else put: "one way to dissolve the marriage is by divorce"


    Reference: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3105
    Reference: http://www.bing.com/search?q=Divorce+is+one+of+the+causes+of...
Ray Ables
United States
Local time: 11:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 136
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
divorce is one of the ways a marriage can be dissolved


Explanation:
Normally there are grounds for a divorce that dissolves the marriage and not the other way round.

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Note added at 20 hrs (2015-03-29 23:11:31 GMT)
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Causa is a legal cause of action or head of consideration. I doubt it is poorly worded in Central American terms.

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Note added at 21 hrs (2015-03-30 00:43:00 GMT)
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Problem is that divorce isn't cause of action. It is the outcome. One of the causal factors or catalysts of dissolution of the marriage might work better - and an answer that might be harder for others to crib.


    Reference: http://https://www.ohiobar.org/ForPublic/Resources/LawYouCan...
Adrian MM. (X)
Local time: 18:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 1292
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks. I'm just wondering why he’d use the term “causas” instead of saying something like “el divorcio es uno de los medios de disolución del matrimonio.” Is “causa” a synonym of “ways”? It just feels like poorly worded on his part and I don't want to rewrite, edit or polish his words.

Asker: In that case I'm thinking that it would be more appropriate to translate “divorce is one of the causes of action for the dissolution of Marriage.” What do you think?

Asker: You’re right,“cause of action” wouldn't apply. So again I wonder why he’d use the word “causa” instead of “uno de los medios” or “una de las formas”. To me it doesn’t make sense to say that divorce is cause for the dissolution of marriage. Like you said before, there are grounds or causes for divorce that dissolve the marriage, but divorce in itself is not cause for dissolution.

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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
divorce is one of the legal means by which marriage is terminated


Explanation:
You may certainly word this otherwise, but this may be useful is you prefer to avoid using the term "grounds." In Spanish law (and, I assume from your text, in El Salvador as well) “disolución del matrimonio” is a broad term encompassing the three legal means by which a marriage terminates under most civil codes: “disolución de matrimonio por la muerte de uno de los cónyuges, por declaración de fallecimiento de uno de los cónyuges o por divorcio.”

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2015-03-30 06:45:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The expression "causas de divorcio" (and in some Spanish-speaking jurisdictions, "causales de divorcio") generally denotes "grounds for divorce." But I have offered this alternative given that you prefer to avoid the term "grounds." If you google "causas de divorcio" and "causales de divorcio" limiting your search to El Salvador websites (site:.sv), you will see that "causas/causales de divorcio" is used in the sense of "grounds for divorce" on many official websites, particularly the library of the "Corte Suprema de Justicia."

Rebecca Jowers
Spain
Local time: 18:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2222
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Rebecca. I'm just wondering why he’d use the term “causas” instead of saying something like “el divorcio es uno de los medios de disolución del matrimonio.” Is “causa” a synonym of “means”? I don't want to use a word that he really never used.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Billh
44 mins
  -> Thanks Bill

agree  Yvonne Gallagher
1 hr
  -> Thanks Gallagy

agree  Lázaro Borges
3 hrs
  -> Gracias Lázaro

agree  AllegroTrans: avoids the confusion which some others have over the legal meaning of "grounds"
4 hrs
  -> Yes, thanks, AllegroTrans

agree  Alex Hughes
17 hrs
  -> Thanks Alex

agree  Amanda DesJardins: Amanda
1 day 9 hrs
  -> Thanks Amanda
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