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  3. Education / Pedagogy

vientre de alquiler

English translation: [leave it out]

11:38 May 16, 2017
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Education / Pedagogy / Family diversity
Spanish term or phrase: vientre de alquiler
SPAIN. From an article on family diversity and education. The problem is that I need something which isn't too offensive or irreverent (like rent-a-womb) and doesn't repeat "surrogate/surrogacy", which appears in "regulación de la subrogación".

"Actualmente, el colectivo de gais, entre otros grupos, viene reivindicando la regulación de la subrogación -vientre de alquiler- en nuestro país."
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 15:21
English translation:[leave it out]
Explanation:
I think it is best to omit this expression because it has no equivalent in English. "Vientre de alquiler" is an absolutely standard expression in Spanish for surrogacy. It is almost inevitably mentioned when the subject comes up. Most Spaniards, I suggest, wouldn't have a clue what you were talking about if you called it "subrogación". English speakers, on the other hand, know the phenomenon as surrogacy, or surrogate mothers, and don't call it anything else, in my experience. So no expression of the "womb for hire" kind can be regarded as a translation equivalent of "vientre de alquiler", because it's impossible to use any such expression in English without it sounding jocular and/or pejorative, which is not the case with the Spanish expression.

So if you put surrogacy, nothing else is needed in English, whereas if you put "subrogación", something else (namely the everyday term "vientre de alquiler") is needed in Spanish. And anything else you put in English will inject an inappropriate note that is not present in the Spanish. Unless you put a formal synonym like "commissioned pregnancy", and what's the point of doing that?

Of course, if you follow my advice you may want to add a note to the client explaining why.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2017-05-16 13:47:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry to labour the point, but the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that this is insoluble.

The author has added "vientre de alquiler" because although he may be writing for specialists who would understand "subrogación", he/she and they are aware that most people wouldn't. So he's effectively saying:
"subrogación, or vientre de alquiler, as people usually call it"

But in English it's commonly known as surrogacy, so in

"surrogacy, or X, as people usually call it"

there is no possible value for X: there is no other expression for this that is common, let alone more common than surrogacy. Anything you put, and certainly any of the suggestions here, will be contrary to the author's intentions.
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 15:21
Grading comment
Client/author agreed with me that "when in doubt, leave it out"... Thanks again to everyone for chipping in.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6[leave it out]
Charles Davis
4womb for hire
Simon Bruni
4gestational carrier/rent-a-uterus
Marie Wilson
3host uterus
12316323 (X)


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
womb for hire


Explanation:
18,300 hits for "womb for hire", must also be "a thing" :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2017-05-16 11:47:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Surely it's no less dodgy than the Spanish?

Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 319
Notes to answerer
Asker: I actually just tried to post a similar comment in the discussion section, but it hasn't uploaded. I've pencilled this in, but I would like something less tongue in cheek. Cheers Simon :)

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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
gestational carrier/rent-a-uterus


Explanation:
More options.
If you base it on google hits "rent-a-uterus" is the most popular term.
Gestational carrier is another way of saying it.

Marie Wilson
Spain
Local time: 15:21
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
[leave it out]


Explanation:
I think it is best to omit this expression because it has no equivalent in English. "Vientre de alquiler" is an absolutely standard expression in Spanish for surrogacy. It is almost inevitably mentioned when the subject comes up. Most Spaniards, I suggest, wouldn't have a clue what you were talking about if you called it "subrogación". English speakers, on the other hand, know the phenomenon as surrogacy, or surrogate mothers, and don't call it anything else, in my experience. So no expression of the "womb for hire" kind can be regarded as a translation equivalent of "vientre de alquiler", because it's impossible to use any such expression in English without it sounding jocular and/or pejorative, which is not the case with the Spanish expression.

So if you put surrogacy, nothing else is needed in English, whereas if you put "subrogación", something else (namely the everyday term "vientre de alquiler") is needed in Spanish. And anything else you put in English will inject an inappropriate note that is not present in the Spanish. Unless you put a formal synonym like "commissioned pregnancy", and what's the point of doing that?

Of course, if you follow my advice you may want to add a note to the client explaining why.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-05-16 13:47:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry to labour the point, but the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that this is insoluble.

The author has added "vientre de alquiler" because although he may be writing for specialists who would understand "subrogación", he/she and they are aware that most people wouldn't. So he's effectively saying:
"subrogación, or vientre de alquiler, as people usually call it"

But in English it's commonly known as surrogacy, so in

"surrogacy, or X, as people usually call it"

there is no possible value for X: there is no other expression for this that is common, let alone more common than surrogacy. Anything you put, and certainly any of the suggestions here, will be contrary to the author's intentions.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 15:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 676
Grading comment
Client/author agreed with me that "when in doubt, leave it out"... Thanks again to everyone for chipping in.
Notes to answerer
Asker: I might end up doing this. I've just been offered a proofing job and if I take it, I'll be "parking" this translation until I proof the other thing...


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Simon Bruni
33 mins
  -> Thanks, Simon!
neutral  12316323 (X): I read this as a clarification of which type it is. -I'm sorry; you're absolutely right, Charles. Still, while surrogacy is THE term, I don't think a brief explanation/reminder would be unappreciated/unused by most.
1 hr
  -> I don't think that can be the point, Kathryn. "Vientre de alquiler" doesn't clarify which kind it is because it applies to both kinds. Both involve a "womb for hire" (unless it's lent by a friend); the difference is purely the fertilisation technique.
agree  peter jackson
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Peter :)
agree  Robert Carter: Seems to me as though the Spanish is, as you say, giving this as an explanation for the sense of "subrogación", which has another specific legal meaning regarding rights, which isn't the case in English (subrogation).
6 hrs
  -> Aha! There speaks the legal translator :) Quite true. Thanks, Robert!
agree  Marcelo González
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Marcelo!
agree  Marie Wilson: Very convincing.
17 hrs
  -> Thanks very much, Marie :)
agree  Martin Harvey
4 days
  -> Thank you, Martin!
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
host uterus


Explanation:
Another option, and one that's less crass, in my opinion, with no references to money/commerce (renting, hire).

(I've given it further thought and while wombs for rent and womb renting is common in journalism, it's perhaps not the most appropriate tone to strike here.)

I also like Marie's gestational carrier, but I think host uterus is clearer.



    Reference: http://www.givf.com/fertility/gestationalsurrogacy.shtml
12316323 (X)
Local time: 08:21
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Charles Davis: Change of comment; just read yours :) The thing is that I don't think this clarifies it at all; British readers, at least, will understand "surrogacy" more easily than "host uterus".
15 mins
  -> Your point is completely valid and true. I just think that in addition to providing the common, everyday name for it, it also serves as a simple explanation/reminder of the who/what. Anyway, just trying to avoid the rent-a-cop/rent-a-wreck association.
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