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  3. Law: Contract(s)

Esencia del Plazo Convenio

English translation: Time of the essence

01:25 Jan 27, 2021
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law: Contract(s)
Spanish term or phrase: Esencia del Plazo Convenio
I am proofreading this translation of a contract, that was originally translated (years ago) from English to Spanish for a restaurant chain in Nevada. Sort of a back translation, full of really bad Spanish, but has some lexicon common found in traditional Mexican legal texts.

The phrase above is a clause title. The translator originally had it rendered as "Scope of the Agreement Term", which was not convincing to me. I thought of changing it to "Required Agreement Term" but the sole sentence under the clause left me reconsidering. Literally reading as "El tiempo está expresamente declarado para ser la esencia de este Convenio." This does not seem to match what a "Time is of the Essence" Clause would state, but perhaps this is what the original author intended (?)

Any thoughts on this?
Seth Phillips
United States
Local time: 07:13
English translation:Time of the essence
Explanation:
I don't know whether it's good Spanish but, since you've given the text that appears underneath, the meaning is clear. It means that if a deadline is specified and not met, the contract will be terminated.
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Thanks for the clarification
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3Time of the essence
philgoddard
4 -1The essence of a contract duration/period
Francois Boye
3The Agreed Deadline is an Essential Term
Adrian MM.


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Time of the essence


Explanation:
I don't know whether it's good Spanish but, since you've given the text that appears underneath, the meaning is clear. It means that if a deadline is specified and not met, the contract will be terminated.

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 493
Grading comment
Thanks for the clarification

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Hollywood: works IMO
49 mins
agree  EirTranslations
7 hrs
agree  AllegroTrans: Heading fits text beneath; Can't see any other way to translate this
13 hrs
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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
The essence of a contract duration/period


Explanation:
essence = the most important part

Contract Duration means the length of time for which a contract is legally binding for both parties. It is normally specified in the contract under “effective” and “ending” dates.

Source: Lawinsider

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 07:13
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 68

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  AllegroTrans: it's not about "a" contract it's about *this* contract and it's about time/timeliness/compliance with deadlines, not duration
7 mins
  -> an oversight
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Esencia del Plazo > del Convenio > Convenido
The Agreed Deadline is an Essential Term


Explanation:
A slight change of emphasis to a 'Fundamntal Term' as the contract appears to have been translated into ungrammatical Spanish in the first - possibly Mexican heat-stroked - case.

'When in legal doubt, translate literally' had been the guiding principle at our Madrid law office > bufete de abogados, literally with a well-stocked buffet, so the ambiguity of the Convenio needs to be reflected and 'Time of the Essence' doesn't do that.

Example sentence(s):
  • Essential Term means a fundamental term of this contract, the breach of which will be of such seriousness as to entitle the Property Stylist to immediately terminate the contract and claim damages for any loss suffered due to that breach.

    Reference: http://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/essential-term
Adrian MM.
Austria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 278
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