capacidad de entender o querer

English translation: understanding (capacity)/discernment or willpower

17:21 Jun 27, 2017
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general) / España
Spanish term or phrase: capacidad de entender o querer
no responde de las consecuencias del hecho dañoso quien no tenía la *capacidad de entender o querer* al momento en el cual lo cometió, a menos que el estado de incapacidad derive de su culpa


la capacidad de entenderse pondría, (...), como la aptitud para orientarse según una percepción no equívoca de la realidad. La capacidad de querer consistiría, en cambio, en el poder controlar los impulsos a actuar, donde, justamente, la voluntad se entiende libre cuando el sujeto logra ejercitar poderes de inhibición y control
Lesley Clarke
Mexico
Local time: 13:44
English translation:understanding (capacity)/discernment or willpower
Explanation:
Difficult, not least because the renderings might strongly vary from country to country. But my reading is that “capacidad de entender” is the same as “entendimiento” or “raciocinio” in Spanish, “understanding capacity” or “discernment” in English. As for “capacidad de querer”, this expression must be understood in this context, I think, as “capacidad volitiva”, i.e. willpower in English.

We are here by the way on the threshold between the philosophical and legal fields.

Final remark: This one is clearly a PRO question. To call this non-PRO is an understatement IMO.

https://definitions.uslegal.com/d/discernment/
Discernment Law and Legal Definition
Discernment means ability to distinguish or judge. It is the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. For instance, being of such an age that the law will impose ordinary legal responsibility upon the person.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/willpower
willpower
Control exerted to do something or restrain impulses.

“Capacidad volitiva” as a synonym of “capacidad de querer”. Page 223:
https://books.google.es/books?id=ows88u9qLBcC&pg=PA223&lpg=P...


Selected response from:

Toni Castano
Spain
Local time: 20:44
Grading comment
Oh I love both answers and thank you both from the bottom of my heart. But this one seems to be that bit more knowledgeable
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4capacity to act knowingly and/or voluntarily
Sandro Tomasi
3understanding (capacity)/discernment or willpower
Toni Castano


  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
understanding (capacity)/discernment or willpower


Explanation:
Difficult, not least because the renderings might strongly vary from country to country. But my reading is that “capacidad de entender” is the same as “entendimiento” or “raciocinio” in Spanish, “understanding capacity” or “discernment” in English. As for “capacidad de querer”, this expression must be understood in this context, I think, as “capacidad volitiva”, i.e. willpower in English.

We are here by the way on the threshold between the philosophical and legal fields.

Final remark: This one is clearly a PRO question. To call this non-PRO is an understatement IMO.

https://definitions.uslegal.com/d/discernment/
Discernment Law and Legal Definition
Discernment means ability to distinguish or judge. It is the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. For instance, being of such an age that the law will impose ordinary legal responsibility upon the person.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/willpower
willpower
Control exerted to do something or restrain impulses.

“Capacidad volitiva” as a synonym of “capacidad de querer”. Page 223:
https://books.google.es/books?id=ows88u9qLBcC&pg=PA223&lpg=P...




Toni Castano
Spain
Local time: 20:44
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 127
Grading comment
Oh I love both answers and thank you both from the bottom of my heart. But this one seems to be that bit more knowledgeable
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
capacity to act knowingly and/or voluntarily


Explanation:
MY DOUBT IS WHETHER OR NOT THE “O” SHOULD BE TRANSLATED AS or OR and/or.

no responde de las consecuencias del hecho dañoso quien no tenía la *capacidad de entender o querer* al momento en el cual lo cometió, a menos que el estado de incapacidad derive de su culpa

No person shall be held responsible for an unlawful act if at the time of its commission he or she did not have the capacity to act knowingly and voluntarily, unless ….

Diccionario panhispánico de dudas
o2.
1. Conjunción coordinante que tiene valor disyuntivo cuando expresa alternativa entre dos opciones: ¿Prefieres ir al cine o al teatro? Otras veces expresa equivalencia: El colibrí o pájaro mosca es abundante en esta región. También se usa para coordinar los dos últimos elementos de una ejemplificación no exhaustiva, con un valor de adición semejante al de la conjunción y: Acudieron a la fiesta muchos famosos, como periodistas, actores o futbolistas; la conjunción o tiene por objeto señalar aquí que no se ha agotado la enumeración, que se han citado solo unos cuantos ejemplos de entre los varios posibles; sin este valor, no es admisible usar o en lugar de y: García Márquez o Vargas Llosa son dos de los más grandes representantes de la literatura en lengua española. A menudo la disyuntiva que plantea esta conjunción no es excluyente, sino que expresa conjuntamente adición y alternativa: En este cajón puedes guardar carpetas o cuadernos (es decir, una u otra cosa, o ambas a la vez). En la mayoría de los casos resulta, pues, innecesario hacer explícitos ambos valores mediante la combinación y/o (→ y2, 3).
http://lema.rae.es/dpd/?key=o

Sandro Tomasi
Local time: 15:44
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 558
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