# Recognizance.



## Dimitris29

Μεταφράζω ένα ντοκιμαντέρ που πραγματεύεται μια απαγωγή ανηλίκου.
Οι κατηγορίες κατά του κατηγορουμένου αποσύρθηκαν με την παρακάτω πρόταση:

_"R.B.'s trial was postponed and he was released on his own recognizance."
_
Εγώ το μετέφρασα ως _"Η δίκη του Ρ.ΜΠ. αναβλήθηκε και αφέθηκε ελεύθερος καταβάλλοντας εγγύηση."_

Όμως...
From Wikipedia...
A *Recognizance* is a conditional obligation undertaken by a person before a court. It is an obligation of record, entered into before a court or magistrate duly authorized, whereby the party bound acknowledges (recognizes) that they owe a personal debt to the state. A recognizance is subject to a "defeasance"; that is, the obligation will be avoided if person bound does some particular act, such as appearing in court on a particular day, or keeping the peace.

Άρα, η "εγγύηση" αναφέρεται σε χρηματική αποζημίωση.
Ποια είναι η ακριβής μετάφραση (νομικής φύσεως) του όρου "Recognizance";

Ευχαριστώ πολύ.

Υ.Γ. Θα ήταν επίσης μεγάλη βοήθεια και η μετάφραση του όρου "defeasance".


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## sotos

προσωπική εγγύηση


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## Helleno File

For non-English speakers the stress is always on the second syllable the unlike the verb 'recognise'. Without checking, I'm fairly sure it is always spelt with z even in British English.  As Wikipedia indicates it is a formal legal word in relation to court decisions only.


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## Dimitris29

Thank you for the info about the pronunciation.

@sotos Are you sure? It reminds of "I personally guarantee..." which does not sound like a formal legal sentence.


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## ireney

Εγγύηση είναι η μόνη μετάφραση που βγάζει νόημα στα ελληνικά. Τα δύο συστήματα δεν έχουν πάντα απόλυτη αντιστοιχία στους όρους ή/και την ορολογία. 

Όσο για την άλλη ερώτηση (μιλάω ως επιμελήτρια του φόρουμ τώρα) σε ξεχωριστό νήμα ε;


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## Dimitris29

Πάντως, θα μ' ενδιέφερε μια άποψη από νομικό.
Εκτός και αν όντως δεν υπάρχει κάτι άλλο αντίστοιχο από την "εγγύηση".


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## sotos

Dimitris29 said:


> Thank you for the info about the pronunciation.
> 
> @sotos Are you sure? It reminds of "I personally guarantee..." which does not sound like a formal legal sentence.



Ναι. Ο όρος "προσωπική εγγύηση" έχει και νομική σημασία, πέρα από την πολιτική ρητορεία. Δες 
Εγγυητές, υποχρεώσεις και δικαιώματα


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## Helleno File

It is sometimes said that legal terms are not translatable, as they are based on on precise definitions in law. So strictly speaking 'murder' means different things in US and British courts. In practice you would of course translate it as 'δολοφονία'.

Recognizance is very formal and usually (? always) applies to court decisions and applies only to an undertaking to pay money. The word 'surety' (3 syllables) is used occasionally and is a bit less formal and is only monetary. The common word is 'bail' which is a temporary release from custody and can be granted by a court or by the police. It can now include many other conditions as well as potential financial penalty, such as living at a specified address, reporting to a police station, not contacting named people, handing in your passport etc. In the US bail money is paid ("posted") up front. I suspect the word bail is from Norman French, as are quite a lot of older legal terms.


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## Dimitris29

sotos said:


> Ναι. Ο όρος "προσωπική εγγύηση" έχει και νομική σημασία, πέρα από την πολιτική ρητορεία. Δες
> Εγγυητές, υποχρεώσεις και δικαιώματα


Ευχαριστώ.


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## Dimitris29

Helleno File said:


> It is sometimes said that legal terms are not translatable, as they are based on on precise definitions in law. So strictly speaking 'murder' means different things in US and British courts. In practice you would of course translate it as 'δολοφονία'.
> 
> Recognizance is very formal and usually (? always) applies to court decisions and applies only to an undertaking to pay money. The word 'surety' (3 syllables) is used occasionally and is a bit less formal and is only monetary. The common word is 'bail' which is a temporary release from custody and can be granted by a court or by the police. It can now include many other conditions as well as potential financial penalty, such as living at a specified address, reporting to a police station, not contacting named people, handing in your passport etc. In the US bail money is paid ("posted") up front. I suspect the word bail is from Norman French, as are quite a lot of older legal terms.


Yes, that's a good point.
However, I could not leave it as "recognizance" in a greek translated script. It wouldn't make any sense, because it's not a well-known term for the greek audience/reader, like Facebook, super market or Times Square.
I shall probably use "προσωπική εγγύηση", although "εγγύηση" sounds more common.


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## Helleno File

Thanks Dimitris29. I know εγγύηση as 'guarantee' and have seen it as 'bail' in dictionaries. How would you say "The defendant was granted/given bail"?


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## Dimitris29

The literal translation for "*To* the defendant, a bail was *granted/given*" would go like "*Στον* κατηγορούμενο *χορηγήθηκε/δόθηκε* εγγύηση".
However, this translation doesn't make any sense.

In "The defendant was granted/given bail" a proper translation would go "Ο κατηγορούμενος αφέθηκε ελεύθερος με εγγύηση".
So, "granted/given" is replaced with "was/were set free or released" by paying the exact amount of money requested (bail).

In my case, *sotos* suggested "προσωπική εγγύηση" as a law specific term, because there is no evidence of the defendant paying any amount of money whatsoever.
That is the reason, that I am not entirely sure 'recognizance' refers to a 'money situation', as you suggested in your previous post.
He was just released with speficic restrictions by the judge ('on his own recongizance'), like appear to a local police station monthly or not be able to leave the country etc.
Unless I am totally wrong, and paying money is also an aspect of "recognizance".


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## Helleno File

Thanks for that translation. Also I hadn't known the aorist of αφήνομαι is αφ*έ*θηκα - confirmed by my brand new copy of Τα Ρήματα της Νέας Ελλινικής! 

Is your case UK or US?  I'm not a lawyer but when I worked I had to know and read some specific British law and attended a number of criminal and civil trials. I thought recognizance was _only_ in relation to money but could be wrong.


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## Dimitris29

I believe you.
Honestly, I have no experience in the legal field.
But, since you have such experience, I will trust you and I will treat 'recognizance' as a term relating to money.
Also, sotos gave me this link above, that explained some things further.
My case is US.

Yes, the past tense of 'αφήνομαι' (passive voice) is 'αφέθηκα'.
This is a verb that isn't very common in modern greek.
It is equivalent to 'let myself go' or 'gave in to sb/sth' (used mostly in past tense). Present tense 'αφήνομαι' is more rare.
I can only think three occasions to use it in a sentence in every speech.
1) "I fall into your arms" --> "Αφήνομαι στην αγκαλιά σου" --> where 'αφήνομαι' denotes the person being hugged and not the one who puts their arms around that person.
You can also use it in imperative form "Αφέσου στην αγκαλιά μου", which I use more in every day speech (i.e. when I want to be romanticly cheesy to a girl )
2) "Αφήνομαι στα χέρια σου" --> "I trust you completely (that you will do/take care of sth for me etc)". A second translation could also be used, guardely, "I'm in your hands" which probably sounds more "You are responsible for me now". I would probably avoid the latter.
3) And of course, when someone is released from custody. "Αφέθηκε ελεύθερος" --> "He/She was released".

Υ.Γ. Also, spelling alert. 'Ελληνικής' not 'Ελλινικής'.


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## Helleno File

Ah... Sorry I'm slow replying. I've looked at this some more and owe you an apology. You are right: certainly in most legal online references I have found in the US recognizance is _without_ money, although general dictionaries give both possibilities e.g. The Free Dictionary:

1. An obligation, entered into before a judge or magistrate, to perform a particular action, such as appearing in court, without the posting of a bond: released on his own recognizance.
2. A sum of money pledged to assure the performance of such an action.

I am now less sure about the UK position. Thanks for the very thorough review of αφήνομαι which I hadn't seen before.


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## dmtrs

Παρακολουθώ τη συζήτηση με ενδιαφέρον, αν και θεωρούσα πως δεν είχα κάτι να συνεισφέρω. Όπως εξέλίσσεται όμως ίσως και να έχω μια χρήσιμη σκέψη: 
Μπορεί κάποιος να κυνηγήσει την ακρίβεια στην απόδοση ενός νοήματος, όπως έχει γίνει ως εδώ. Όταν όμως δεν είναι εξασφαλισμένη, μήπως η αποφυγή της ανακρίβειας (έστω και με χρήση πιο γενικόλογης διατύπωσης) είναι προτιμότερη; Μήπως το "αφέθηκε ελεύθερος υπό όρους" θα έσωζε την παρτίδα; 
Μια σκέψη απλώς...


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## Dimitris29

@Helleno File
So, it could be both, depending on the agreed terms.
Good to know.

@dmtrs
I think "...υπό όρους" sounds perfect for my case. Although, it does sound like "on probation", doesn't it?
I had it in mind initially, however, I just needed to find a synonym for 'recognizance'.
Anyway, "...υπό όρους" and "με προσωπική εγγύηση" both sound suitable for the situation, but indeed, "...υπό όρους" is a more general and well-known/heard term to the greek audience and definitely better understood.


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