May 11, 2019 08:25
5 yrs ago
8 viewers *
Spanish term
cabeceras comarcales
Spanish to English
Social Sciences
Tourism & Travel
Smart cities
SPAIN. This is from an article on "Smart cities". I know what it means, but I'm not sure how to best express it. (Posting as a non-pro query to save anyone else the trouble of downgrading it).
"Desde la Estrategia Territorial Europea (1999), se ha venido advirtiendo la importancia de desarrollar un sistema urbano europeo más equilibrado y ordenado, capaz de generar un desarrollo policéntrico en aras de asegurar a la mayoría de la población de los recursos, los servicios, el empleo y la innovación a través de las redes de ciudades, con la finalidad de procurar también una mayor cohesión territorial (Romero y Farinós, 2004). Así pues, las ciudades intermedias que cumplen funciones de ***cabeceras comarcales*** adquieren un esencial protagonismo en estas regiones y constituyen importantes centros de desarrollo de actividades industriales y de servicios, investigación y tecnología, turismo y ocio (Comisión Europea, 1999).
"Desde la Estrategia Territorial Europea (1999), se ha venido advirtiendo la importancia de desarrollar un sistema urbano europeo más equilibrado y ordenado, capaz de generar un desarrollo policéntrico en aras de asegurar a la mayoría de la población de los recursos, los servicios, el empleo y la innovación a través de las redes de ciudades, con la finalidad de procurar también una mayor cohesión territorial (Romero y Farinós, 2004). Así pues, las ciudades intermedias que cumplen funciones de ***cabeceras comarcales*** adquieren un esencial protagonismo en estas regiones y constituyen importantes centros de desarrollo de actividades industriales y de servicios, investigación y tecnología, turismo y ocio (Comisión Europea, 1999).
Proposed translations
(English)
References
| Capital Comarcal - Comarca |
Stuart and Aida Nelson
|
Change log
May 11, 2019 10:42: Robert Forstag changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:
PRO (3): Charles Davis, Marie Wilson, Robert Forstag
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Proposed translations
+2
8 hrs
AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Sensible solutions
Native in: English (Variant: Wessexois) 
Works in: French to English, English, English to French
Related KudoZ points
:
48
Selected
district/local administrative capital
1. Avoids counties, shires, hundreds, boroughs, parishes, townlands and any other of the many variations out there
2. Uses "district", a neutral but universally comprehensible term
3. Seems to fit the excellent definitions in Stuart and Aida's references
4. Reflects the fact that there are local authority offices etc. there
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Note added at 8 hrs (2019-05-11 16:59:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
WOOPS, I forgot to acknowledge Charles - devoted as ever
2. Uses "district", a neutral but universally comprehensible term
3. Seems to fit the excellent definitions in Stuart and Aida's references
4. Reflects the fact that there are local authority offices etc. there
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2019-05-11 16:59:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
WOOPS, I forgot to acknowledge Charles - devoted as ever
Note from asker:
| The town is described as "capital" of the "comarca" in several references. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Charles Davis
: This would still be my choice (and thanks for the acknowledgement!)
33 mins
|
| agree |
Stuart and Aida Nelson
: I was actually thinking of posting a similar answer with administrative capital.
37 mins
|
| neutral |
philgoddard
: I think this is overtranslation, and too specific. It implies that the town or city has some kind of official status, but it's just the biggest and most important in the region.
12 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I actually ended up using both region/district to refer to the area, and "hub" as well at one point. I think the finished article reads quite well. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this query - I really appreciate it."
1 hr
+1
2 hrs
Isabel Peralta
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Works in field
Spain
Words that make sense
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Standard-Spain)
Works in: English to Spanish, German to Spanish, Catalan to Spanish, and 3 more.
county towns
If you are translating into UK English. Also county heads or administrative centres are possible, and if you are translating into US English, maybe clearer.
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: This really is MUCH too localised to E&W, needs to be more "country neutral"; I don;t think there is any direct comparison
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Jessica Noyes
: The asker doesn't state which English he is translating into, but since it is an article about Europe, I think an official UK English term is 100% fine. Otherwise, she suggests "administrative centres" which also works.
5 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Jessica
|
|
| neutral |
Helena Chavarria
: A county town is the most important town of any county in Britain and Ireland. Barcelona province, for example, has 12 comarcas (12 county towns?).
5 hrs
|
4 hrs
Francois Boye
United States
United States
United States
An economic geek with social skills
Native in: French
Works in: English to French, French to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
regional capital cities
my take
6 hrs
Juan Arturo Blackmore Zerón
Mexico
Mexico
Native in Spanish
Mexico
Confianza, certeza, creatividad.
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Mexican)
Works in: English to Spanish, Italian to Spanish, French to Spanish, and 6 more.
chief town
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: The problem with this solution is that it needs to be linked to a geographical entity in order to be clear and unambiguous
1 hr
|
20 hrs
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
55
regional hub
How about this?
hub
2a : a center of activity : FOCAL POINT
The island is a major tourist hub.
hub
2a : a center of activity : FOCAL POINT
The island is a major tourist hub.
Note from asker:
| Promising. I've actually used "hub" to translate "cabeceras de áreas funcionales" (principal hubs of functional areas), although that may get tweaked once I get the first draft done... |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: "hub" strikes me a vague term; I think the fact that the town or city concerned is an administrative centre needs to be expressed
21 hrs
|
2 days 4 hrs
Helena Chavarria
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Specializes in field
Spain
Striving for excellence
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
capitals of comarcas
I've discussed this question with members of my family and I've come to the conclusion that I wouldn't translate 'comarca'.
I know it's not the same, but we don't translate Swiss 'cantons' and we happily refer to French departments.
The 26 cantons of Switzerland (German: Kanton, French: canton, Italian: cantone, Romansh: chantun) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the Waldstätte.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantons_of_Switzerland
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (French: département, pronounced [depaʁt(ə)mɑ̃]) is one of the three levels of government below the national level ("territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the commune. Ninety-six departments are in metropolitan France, and five are overseas departments, which are also classified as regions. Departments are further subdivided into 334 arrondissements, themselves divided into cantons; the last two have no autonomy, and are used for the organisation of police, fire departments, and sometimes, elections.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Departments_of_France
I've provided references from Wikipedia because I think they sufficiently illustrate my answer.
I would probably use 'region' or 'district' if the term appeared once or twice and was not particularly relevant.
Several years ago I read that English is so popular around the world because there are no strict rules, not because it's an easy language to learn. I wish I could remember where I read it because I thought it was interesting.
As we all know, Spanish people are used to translating everything but that's not the case in English. Once my mother had come over to visit me and she was talking to someone who told her that my name was really Helen - she couldn't believe it! Incidentally, my name is 'Helena, wth stress on the first syllable ;-)
In conclusion, I'm sure that I would either add a note or write comarca and put a short definition in brackets afterwards.
I know it's not the same, but we don't translate Swiss 'cantons' and we happily refer to French departments.
The 26 cantons of Switzerland (German: Kanton, French: canton, Italian: cantone, Romansh: chantun) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the Waldstätte.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantons_of_Switzerland
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (French: département, pronounced [depaʁt(ə)mɑ̃]) is one of the three levels of government below the national level ("territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the commune. Ninety-six departments are in metropolitan France, and five are overseas departments, which are also classified as regions. Departments are further subdivided into 334 arrondissements, themselves divided into cantons; the last two have no autonomy, and are used for the organisation of police, fire departments, and sometimes, elections.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Departments_of_France
I've provided references from Wikipedia because I think they sufficiently illustrate my answer.
I would probably use 'region' or 'district' if the term appeared once or twice and was not particularly relevant.
Several years ago I read that English is so popular around the world because there are no strict rules, not because it's an easy language to learn. I wish I could remember where I read it because I thought it was interesting.
As we all know, Spanish people are used to translating everything but that's not the case in English. Once my mother had come over to visit me and she was talking to someone who told her that my name was really Helen - she couldn't believe it! Incidentally, my name is 'Helena, wth stress on the first syllable ;-)
In conclusion, I'm sure that I would either add a note or write comarca and put a short definition in brackets afterwards.
Note from asker:
| Yes, BUT, both "canton" and "department" aleady exist in English. "Comarca" doesn't, and the Frenchified "comarque" just seems like a cop-out to me. I'm either going with "region" (small r) or district. |
Reference comments
8 hrs
Stuart and Aida Nelson
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Spanish
&
English
Works in field
United Kingdom
English lawyer and German national
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
, Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Standard-Spain)
Works in: German to English, Italian to English, French to English, and 13 more.
Reference:
Capital Comarcal - Comarca
Concepto sinónimo de lo que se entiende popularmente como " capital comarcal" , o más técnicamente " centro funcional" , coincide con el núcleo que en un entorno rural ejerce funciones terciarias o de servicios, sobre los núcleos rurales del área próxima. (P.R.V.).
http://unizar.es/geoatlas/GLOSARIO/19.htm
En Aragón, la elección de las cabeceras comarcales está adquiriendo un papel determinante en la nueva política de ordenación del territorio que, desde la D.G.A., se trata de impulsar mediante la Ley de Ordenación del Territorio, las Directrices Generales de Ordenación Territorial y la Ley de Comarcalización. Las características y complejidad de nuestro territorio: zonas de montaña, altiplanos, grandes extensiones de secano, unos y otros escasamente poblados, concentración demográfica en vegas y valles..., determinan que los núcleos urbanos capaces de organizar el territorio sean muy distintos en una u otra zona. Diversos estudios elaborados a partir de los años setenta insisten en que la distribución de cabeceras comarcales (o núcleos centralizadores de servicios) no puede ser arbitraria, ni siquiera fundamentarse en criterios teóricamente objetivos.
http://www.enciclopedia-aragonesa.com/voz.asp?voz_id=2722
Siempre se sitúa a Lorca como cabecera comarcal. Nadie parece ponerlo en duda a pesar de que desde ciertos sectores se miran con recelo las inversiones que llegan a los vecinos.
https://www.laverdad.es/murcia/v/20100815/lorca/cabecera-com...
La fusión de Cerdedo golpea a A Estrada como cabecera comarcal
En general, la elección de Cerdedo no tendría por qué hacer perder peso a A Estrada como cabecera comarcal, ya que en la práctica los cerdedenses ya han vivido hasta ahora hacia donde han querido.
https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/deza/a-estrada/2016/02...
En España, en el último cuarto del siglo XX, la aparición de disfuncionalidades en la estructura territorial formada por regiones históricas, provincias, partidos judiciales y municipios planteada en el XIX, y el nacimiento de las Comunidades Autónomas, que inicialmente buscan establecer formas de organización territorial propia, hace resurgir la idea de comarca, ahora con un sentido más técnico, como una entidad territorial que agrupa varios municipios y se articula sobre una cabecera de comarca, de manera que la Comunidad Autónoma pueda descomponerse en una serie de comarcas. Así, asociado a este nuevo sentido de la comarca, se pone en circulación el verbo comarcalizar y el resultado de aplicarlo que es la comarcalización.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comarca
http://unizar.es/geoatlas/GLOSARIO/19.htm
En Aragón, la elección de las cabeceras comarcales está adquiriendo un papel determinante en la nueva política de ordenación del territorio que, desde la D.G.A., se trata de impulsar mediante la Ley de Ordenación del Territorio, las Directrices Generales de Ordenación Territorial y la Ley de Comarcalización. Las características y complejidad de nuestro territorio: zonas de montaña, altiplanos, grandes extensiones de secano, unos y otros escasamente poblados, concentración demográfica en vegas y valles..., determinan que los núcleos urbanos capaces de organizar el territorio sean muy distintos en una u otra zona. Diversos estudios elaborados a partir de los años setenta insisten en que la distribución de cabeceras comarcales (o núcleos centralizadores de servicios) no puede ser arbitraria, ni siquiera fundamentarse en criterios teóricamente objetivos.
http://www.enciclopedia-aragonesa.com/voz.asp?voz_id=2722
Siempre se sitúa a Lorca como cabecera comarcal. Nadie parece ponerlo en duda a pesar de que desde ciertos sectores se miran con recelo las inversiones que llegan a los vecinos.
https://www.laverdad.es/murcia/v/20100815/lorca/cabecera-com...
La fusión de Cerdedo golpea a A Estrada como cabecera comarcal
En general, la elección de Cerdedo no tendría por qué hacer perder peso a A Estrada como cabecera comarcal, ya que en la práctica los cerdedenses ya han vivido hasta ahora hacia donde han querido.
https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/deza/a-estrada/2016/02...
En España, en el último cuarto del siglo XX, la aparición de disfuncionalidades en la estructura territorial formada por regiones históricas, provincias, partidos judiciales y municipios planteada en el XIX, y el nacimiento de las Comunidades Autónomas, que inicialmente buscan establecer formas de organización territorial propia, hace resurgir la idea de comarca, ahora con un sentido más técnico, como una entidad territorial que agrupa varios municipios y se articula sobre una cabecera de comarca, de manera que la Comunidad Autónoma pueda descomponerse en una serie de comarcas. Así, asociado a este nuevo sentido de la comarca, se pone en circulación el verbo comarcalizar y el resultado de aplicarlo que es la comarcalización.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comarca
Note from asker:
| It's also described a a region (small "r) in this Spanish newspaper article: "3 oct. 2016 - Con gritos como “fuera fascistas” o “Cañizares fuera de la Safor [región de la que es capital Gandía]” |
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| agree |
AllegroTrans
12 mins
|
|
Gracias Allegro :)
|
|
| agree |
Charles Davis
: Very useful, thanks!
45 mins
|
|
Gracias, Charles :)
|
Discussion
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/es/atlas/spain/
"The administrative district of Safor in the Region of Valencia submitted two projects to compete for aid under the Proder II programme."
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//...
To me that's spot on: Valencia (the Valencian community) is a region and Safor is a district, just as East Anglia is a region and Fenland (Cambridgeshire) is a district. There are mostly 5-10 "districts" per county in England; to my ear it's a good fit.
And here's another in a linguistic article (translated, but well):
"The speech community is the city of Oliva, in the Valencian district of Safor"
http://www.gencat.cat/llengua/noves/noves/hm02tardor/metodol...
"Region" can be a default descriptor for a territorial division, but it tends to be a large one, especially relative to other divisions:
"a large area of land whose politics, geography, or culture is different from other areas"
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/regi...
I've just looked up the comarcas of Valencia to check on Gandia, and the Wikipedia article is called "Comarques of the Valencian Community"!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comarques_of_the_Valencian_Com...
There are 34 of them, in three provinces: 11 per province. Gandia is in La Safor (a very old name, by the way): population (of the comarca) just over 170,000, area 430 square kilometres. Not very big. And it includes Valldigna, which used to be a separate comarca.
Can a district have 14 municipalities? I don't see why not, in principle, in the sense that a district could have that many recognisable urban units. The UK no longer has municipalities at all. Spanish municipalities are much smaller in relative terms than UK local authority areas. There are nearly 6000 municipios in Spain but only 408 principal councils in the UK (county councils, district councils and "unitary areas"). Analogies really break down when you get to details like this; local government is differently organised. And in Spain a "comarca" is not a political unit: it has no elected administrative body. I think what we want is a word that suggests something between a town and a "province" (which I see as analogous to a UK county).
The 'comarca' where I live in Spain is made up of 14 municipalities (I've just checked). Can a district have 14 municipalities?
I would only use 'district' here if the term appeared a couple of times; otherwise, I don't think it's a bad idea to teach readers something new!
Size-wise, there are 50 provinces in Spain and some 370 comarcas: 5-10 per province. In English terms, "district" sounds right to me for comarca (as in "district council"): a subdivision of a county, which is roughly comparable to a province in relative scale. Admittedly "district" is also used for subdivisions of big cities. Why don't you think it works here, Helena?
: a territorial subdivision (as a district or circuit) of a state —used chiefly of administrative units of certain Latin-American nations
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comarca
comunidad autónoma = (autonomous) region;
municipio = municipality;
cuidad, población = town or city;
barrio = neighbourhood or district;
comarca = I sometimes translate it as district, but in this case I don't think that works.