Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
fiscal principal
English translation:
Chief Compliance Officer
Spanish term
fiscal principal
This term is regarding a member of a governing body for a Venezuelan college of physicians. This member (fiscal principal) is, in turn, a member of a "Tribunal disciplinario" (which I would translate as 'Disciplinary committee').
"Main prosecutor" does not sound right to me, as this person is actually a medical doctor, not an attorney. Perhaps 'monitoring member', or 'lead statutory auditor'?
'Comptroller' or 'Prosecuting counsel' don't sound right to me in this context. This document is meant for the US.
I appreciate your suggestions and inputs.
4 +4 | Chief Supervisory Officer | Charles Davis |
3 +2 | Senior Discpilinary Officer | Adrian MM. |
4 | Chief Officer | Alisha Rice |
Sep 8, 2024 06:17: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
Chief Supervisory Officer
According to the RAE's Diccionario de americanismos, "fiscal has the following meaning in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Bolivia:
"Persona de la junta directiva de una asociación o institución que se encarga de fiscalizar las actuaciones monetarias y las acciones de los miembros."
https://www.asale.org/damer/fiscal
I think it's very likely that it means the same thing in your context in Venezuela as well.
"Fiscalizar" means oversee or supervise. It quite probably includes "actuaciones monetarias", which would match your suggestion of "auditor", though I don't think the role is confined to auditing. To my mind the term that best expresses the range of functions such a figure would perform is "Supervisory Officer". In many difference contexts, a supervisory officer is there to make sure things are being done by the book, as it were. Naturally, in the event of disciplinary proceedings, that person would be involved, but not only or even primarily in that event.
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Note added at 11 hrs (2024-09-06 08:10:39 GMT)
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It is worth nothing that in the document Phil Goddard has cited in the discussion area about the Colegio de Psicólogos of Caracas, "Tribunal Disciplinario" and "Fiscalía" are two separate sections, and the Fiscal Principal, Eliana Beomont Vargas, is not even a member of the Tribunal Disciplinario. This would surely be inconceivable if the Fiscal Principal were the Disciplinary Officer.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2024-09-06 08:24:16 GMT)
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In short, "fiscal" sometimes has nothing to do with its most familiar meaning of a prosecutor, and I think this is such a case.
"Officer", of course, is not a military term here at all. It simply means "one who holds an office of trust, authority, or command", like a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and so on, in a company.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2024-09-06 09:01:27 GMT)
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"Fiscal", as a noun, very often means a prosecutor:
"2. m. y f. Persona que representa y ejerce el ministerio público en los tribunales."
But it can also mean someone who keeps check on and denounces others' actions:
"3. m. y f. Persona que averigua o delata operaciones ajenas."
https://dle.rae.es/fiscal?m=form
and more specifically "Persona de la junta directiva de una asociación o institución que se encarga de fiscalizar las actuaciones monetarias y las acciones de los miembros", as already quoted above.
I think there's no doubt that it means the latter, not the former in this case. The idea that a medical association would have a figure approximating to a prosecutor seems to be entirely implausible.
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Note added at 13 hrs (2024-09-06 09:22:58 GMT)
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An alternative that has just occurred to me is Chief Compliance Officer.
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Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2024-09-07 06:16:29 GMT)
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Hi Rodrigo, I don't think you need to worry if you used "Disciplinary Officer" in your translation. It is pretty close, and there is some room for debate about what the term actually does mean. I thought "Supervisory Officer", or "Compliance Officer", which would be my choice, were probably closer, which is why I posted another answer, but I can't be entirely sure. Choose the answer you think is best.
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Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2024-09-07 06:17:07 GMT)
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Pardon the bold type: it was not intended.
Due to time constraints, I actually used Adrián's answer, but... I have to agree that your suggestion and the word 'compliance' fits much better in this context, although I do not know in this case if this figure handles financial details, though I don't think so. I think 'disciplinary officer' is not that far away in meaning, but, if I'm wrong, please let me know. . Either way, thank you all for your very insightful comments. |
neutral |
Adrian MM.
: All you have done is, disingenuously, reword my answer and 'fiscal' doesn't mean supervisory. I had been hoping Edward Tully would repost his Chair/person answer as it fits the E&W Solicitors(') Disciplinary Tribunal: https://solicitorstribunal.org.uk/
32 mins
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Nonsense. It is not a rewording of your answer. Supervision and discipline are by no means synonymous and "fiscal" can mean supervisory. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal is entirely irrelevant.
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agree |
philgoddard
: 'Compliance' is perfect.
2 hrs
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Thanks, Phil. I think I prefer it too.
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agree |
liz askew
3 hrs
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Many thanks, Liz
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agree |
AllegroTrans
8 hrs
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Thanks!
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agree |
Sandro Tomasi
: The Pink Panther strikes again.
16 hrs
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LOL! Thanks, Sandro :-)
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Senior Discpilinary Officer
Tribunal disciplinario" : Disciplinary Board - in the USA and UK - rather than Committee.
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Note added at 11 hrs (2024-09-06 07:37:28 GMT)
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Disciplinary.....
USA: State medical boards discipline physicians by issuing mandates known as “board orders,” which stipulate the specific action taken against a physician's license.
Within delegated authority, the Senior Conduct and Discipline Officer is responsible for the following duties...
agree |
AllegroTrans
: Yes, but comparison with Court Martial is off beam
11 mins
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Thanks, but the Officer idea triggered my answer 'by'analogy'.
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agree |
Adriana Costa (X)
: But correct the spelling for DISCIPLINARY
16 mins
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Gracias, Adriana, y desde luego y por supuesto.
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agree |
Sandro Tomasi
2 hrs
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Gracias, Sandro, and thanks de novo y de nuevo.
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neutral |
Charles Davis
: In my interpretation of "fiscal", this person's role is broader than discipline. // Lifting half of your answer? You flatter yourself. Supervision is indeed inherent in the term "fiscal", as used here, in my opinion.
10 hrs
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That didn't stop you lifting half of my answer, though. I also alluded to prosecuting officer and 'supervisory' is not immanent e.g. inherent in the term ' fiscal'.
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disagree |
philgoddard
: You don't mention 'fiscal' anywhere in your explanation or references.
13 hrs
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Discussion
In this Venezuelan psychologists' professional body, which appears to have a very similar structure, the 'fiscal principal' is responsible for 'fiscalía', whatever that is.
http://www.fpv.org.ve/wordpress/colegio-de-psicologos-del-di...