Thread: An easy question for you guys

I know this may sound like somewhat basic, but how do you translate "ley" into English? Is it "law", "regulation", or what?
And what about "artículo"? Are "artículo" and "article" false friends in the legal world?
Thanks for your help!

ley I believe would just be law...and I think article is the same as well. "law number ... article number ... states that..."

Ley=Law
Artículo=Article

No te quebres la cabeza...

Saludos.

Thanks...I appreciate your help!

Well... what about "act"? For instance, in "Animal Welfare Act", just to give one of the many examples.

I remember I had to translate "act" in a translation test. I think I used "acta" or sth like that, it was wrong! My professor corrected it "ley"... what's the difference?

Hola, te transcribo un aparte del libro "El Ingés Jurídico" de E. Alcaraz:
"Las partes o divisiones de los distintos instrumentos jurídicos (acts, bills, etc) no reciben siempre el mismo nombre; las leyes (acts) constan de partes o capítulos (parts), secciones (articles), artículos (sections)* subartículos (subsections) y párrafos o apartados (paragraphs); en cambio, antes de ser leyes, cuando son proyectos de ley (bills), están formados respectivamente por clauses, sub-clauses y paragraphs (...)

*los juristas ingleses saben que la palabra "article" utilizada en los textos comunitarios o en los de organismos internacionales significa "artículo".

Thanks, Yolanda! Your answer was indeed very enlightening.
I will make a note of your observations taken from E. Alcaraz.
Seems an excellent book. I appreciate!

I agree with Yolanda. Also, in a contract, another translation for section is cláusula (at least in Argentinean law). Articles are secciones.
Best to all!

covenant is also a word for cláusula. En cuanto a lo de ley, depende de que hables