direcciones generales - Military

[Heredianista]

Does "dirección" here really refer to a person (Director)? Does it not refer to an entity – such as a department or a ______?

I am trying to translate the following:

"...donde funcionaba la Comandancia General del Ejército con sus tres comandos administrativos, nueve direcciones generales y más de cien jefeturas y subjefeturas."

It seems clear to me that in this context, "dirección" does not refer to a person, but to an official body, or an administrative entity, or a departmental unit.

Can anyone help me figure out how to translate "direcciones generales" in this case? All I have so far is:

"...the site of Army Command Headquarters with its three administrative units, nine _____s,..."

I actually don't know how to translate any of these military terms.

Thank you ever so much for your time.

 

[Laura Maria]

Dirección sounds to me like more than one person, like a department or something. Perhaps "directorate" could be a good translation"...?

 

[mondra]

Hola a todos! Heredianista, you're right it's not easy to translate "direcciones generales", I always have to search and think twice before making a decision about what to use, in this case I can only make a suggestion:
"...the site of Army Command Headquarters with its three administrative units, nine Chief Executive Offices..."

 

[Heredianista]

Dear Laura Maria,

Thank you so much for responding!

I agree with your assessment. But is "directorate" a military term? It seems to be better suited to business (see: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/directorate).

Provisionally, I have implemented the following (inadequate) translation, until I can ascertain the precise meanings of these terms:

"...donde funcionaba la Comandancia General del Ejército con sus tres comandos administrativos, nueve direcciones generales y más de cien jefeturas y subjefeturas."

"... the site of Army Command Headquarters with its three administrative units, nine general command posts, and more than one hundred headquarters and sub-headquarters."

Thank you again for your time!

 

[Laura Maria]

I think you're right that "directorate" sounds more like a business term. Unfortunately, I don't know much about military terms!

 

[elirlandes]

I would say in this case "Directorates General" - which would refer to an administrative division, each of which is run by an individual of the rank of Director General.

 

[mondra]

dear Heredianista, I have to agree with you on that "general command posts" sounds very military! Something good is going to come out of this discussions for sure! You're getting there

 

[Heredianista]

That's funny – thank you, Mondra!

Thank you both.

Let's hope to hear from some military experts...

Thank you, elirlandes! I am much obliged.

Have you heard this term employed?

Best,
~H

Laura Maria – this is another vote for "directorate"!

Also, Mondra, I hadn't seen your suggestion of "Chief Executive Offices". That is for sure better than "general command posts"!

My only question is whether they could really be "Chief Executive Offices", given that they seem to come, in importance, after the three "comandos administrativos".

Could the "comandos administrativos" be the "Chief Executive Offices"?

Thank you both again so much for your time and thought!

 

[elirlandes]

It is a term used in administration heavy organisations. For me it would not sound out of place in the military.
An example of its use here in Europe is in the European Commission - in the US you call your "government ministries" departments. In the Brussels based administration of the European Union they are Directorates General, each one having a Director General in charge.

Thank you, elirlandes! I am much obliged.

Have you heard this term employed?

Best,
~H

The term also applies to the head of MI5 and MI6 (the UK's version of the CIA), as well as most television stations in Europe (BBC in the UK, RTE in Ireland for example).

 

[Heredianista]

Thank you again, elirlandes, that is most helpful!

Gratefully,
~H

 

[mondra]

Limusa Robb Dictionary of Legal Terms gives the following for "dirección": the chief executives; board of directors; management; address

For each "dirección general" (they're nine) has to have a Director;
the question then would be: "director" in military jargon?!

 

[Heredianista]

Hmmm. Now I don't know whether to go with "directorates general" or "directors general". Nor whether to capitalize.

Thank you for your research and collaboration!

 

[Heredianista]

Okay,

Thank you all ever so much for helping me work through this; you are the best!

I won't pretend that I'm not still confused, though.

Even after all of your help, I literally don't know whether this passage refers to 9 people or nine departments. So I have included one meaning in the text, and the other possible meaning in a footnote. I would much rather actually know what I am saying.

I am also confused about what to capitalize. I know that "headquarters" isn't capitalized when it is used in general, in this fashion (rather than in reference to the title of a particular Headquarters). In the Spanish, only "Comandancia General del Ejército" is capitalized. I think that since all of the phrases following it are used in the plural (i.e. not as proper names, but as nouns), it makes sense not to capitalize them. Does anyone agree?

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this translation will be read and used in only the U.S. "Directors general" and "directorates general" are not familiar terms to me in this country. Can anyone help me figure out what these would actually be called in the United States Military?

Below is how my translation currently stands. I would be forever indebted for any further assistance in clearing the cobwebs from my brain on this point. Bless you guys!

ORIGINAL:
"...donde funcionaba la Comandancia General del Ejército con sus tres comandos administrativos, nueve direcciones generales y más de cien jefeturas y subjefeturas."

TRANSLATION:
"...the site of Army Command Headquarters with its three chief executive offices, nine directorates general [administrative divisions][1] and more than one hundred headquarters and sub-headquarters.

[1] Translator’s Note: Or, "directors general" (those in charge of directorates general).

 

[Heredianista]

My final take (so far):

"The decision to put Ayacucho under military command did not come as a surprise in the ninety hectare complex known as the Pentagonito [Little Pentagon], in the district of San Borja, the site of Army Command Headquarters with its three chief administrative offices, nine general administrative departments,* and more than one hundred divisions and sub-divisions....

*Translator’s Note: Or, Directorates General, or directors general (those in charge of Directorates General)."

Any suggestions?

Many many thanks to all!