Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Deutsch term or phrase:
Sitz der Gesellschaft
Englisch translation:
registered office (also see Margaret's arguments for "seat")
Added to glossary by
Alison Schwitzgebel
Feb 12, 2007 13:26
17 yrs ago
41 viewers *
Deutsch term
Sitz der Gesellschaft
Deutsch > Englisch
Wirtschaft/Finanzwesen
Recht (allgemein)
commercial law
I am aware that this has been asked before but the answers given previously are not that helpful in this particular case...
I am currently debating with a colleague on how to translate this term accurately. The Gesellschaft in question is a multinational group based (physically domiciled AND registered) in Germany. The question is how to translate this accurately and correctly so that it would be understood (as Germans would - with all the implications the German term has with regard to jurisdiction, competent courts etc.) by an American audience. We've researched this at length and have come up with several different options such as domicile, company seat, registered office etc., but none of the sources have been conclusive.
Can anyone offer any guidance on this?
TIA
Karin
I am currently debating with a colleague on how to translate this term accurately. The Gesellschaft in question is a multinational group based (physically domiciled AND registered) in Germany. The question is how to translate this accurately and correctly so that it would be understood (as Germans would - with all the implications the German term has with regard to jurisdiction, competent courts etc.) by an American audience. We've researched this at length and have come up with several different options such as domicile, company seat, registered office etc., but none of the sources have been conclusive.
Can anyone offer any guidance on this?
TIA
Karin
Proposed translations
(Englisch)
| 5 +4 | registered office |
Alison Schwitzgebel
|
| 5 +2 | Corporate Headquarters |
John E. Kelleher
|
| 4 | domicile (of the) company |
lone (X)
|
| 4 | domicle/registed office |
Ted Wozniak
|
| 4 | seat |
Margaret Marks
|
References
| EIR - EuInsVO |
Eberhard Nietzer
|
Change log
Sep 27, 2010 11:50: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Rechts- und Patentwesen" to "Wirtschaft/Finanzwesen"
Proposed translations
+4
56 Min.
Alison Schwitzgebel
Frankreich
Frankreich
Native in Deutsch
&
Englisch
Specializes in field
Frankreich
Words that work
Native in: Englisch 
, Deutsch
Works in: Deutsch > Englisch, Germanische Sprachen (sonstige) > Englisch, Französisch > Englisch
Related KudoZ points
:
128
Selected
registered office
This term is understood by both UK and US audiences:
A US source: "Registered Office - The office named in the articles of incorporation located where the registered agent is located. Note that this need not be the principle office or place of business of the corporation."
(note that the registered office is NOT NECESSARILY the company's headquarters)
and a UK source: "Registered Office Address · The registered office address is the �home� of the company to which all official documents, notices and court papers have to be sent by law. The registered office address can be anywhere in England or Wales (or Scotland if the company is registered there). "
A US source: "Registered Office - The office named in the articles of incorporation located where the registered agent is located. Note that this need not be the principle office or place of business of the corporation."
(note that the registered office is NOT NECESSARILY the company's headquarters)
and a UK source: "Registered Office Address · The registered office address is the �home� of the company to which all official documents, notices and court papers have to be sent by law. The registered office address can be anywhere in England or Wales (or Scotland if the company is registered there). "
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
10 Min.
domicile (of the) company
Hope this helps!
+2
11 Min.
John E. Kelleher
Irland
Irland
Native in Englisch
Works in field
Irland
Voiceover / Translator / Transcreator
Native in: Englisch , Spanisch
Works in: Spanisch > Englisch, Englisch > Spanisch, Französisch > Englisch, and 5 more.
Corporate Headquarters
Corporate Headquarters
(See the Key Facts info box at the bottom right of the page: http://www.bmc.com/BMC/Common/CDA/hou_Page_Generic/0,,802842...
(See the Key Facts info box at the bottom right of the page: http://www.bmc.com/BMC/Common/CDA/hou_Page_Generic/0,,802842...
57 Min.
Ted Wozniak
Vereinigte Staaten
Vereinigte Staaten
Native in Englisch
Specializes in field
Vereinigte Staaten
Bridging the Language GAAP-
Native in: Englisch (Variant: US) 
Works in: Deutsch > Englisch
Related KudoZ points
:
67
domicle/registed office
Hi Karin,
I would generally just use domicile in English as it does convey the meaning for legal purposes. But if you really need to convey the fact that the company is physically domiciled and registered in Germany, then use both terms.
I would generally just use domicile in English as it does convey the meaning for legal purposes. But if you really need to convey the fact that the company is physically domiciled and registered in Germany, then use both terms.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Alison Schwitzgebel
: Hi Ted! What do you see as being the difference between a domicile and a registered office?
1 Stunde
|
22 Stunden
Margaret Marks
Vereinigtes Königreich
Vereinigtes Königreich
Native in Englisch
Vereinigtes Königreich
Related KudoZ points
:
272
seat
I prefer seat, because it is understood in English and doesn't give the incorrect impression that it is a street address (unlike 'registered office'). It is unpopular with some translators because it is perceived as 'translatorese', but in legal translation you can't just take the nearest potential equivalent just because it sounds English - because, after all, we're talking about German law, not English law.
I agree that 'domicile' is a possibility, but I don't think it's so widely understood (and a German domicile is a city, but an English domicile is a jurisdiction, such as Germany or England and Wales or California). 'Corporate headquarters' seems a slightly different context to me.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2007-02-13 11:55:43 GMT)
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I gave this 4 rather than 5 because a moderator once told me off for using 5!
I agree that 'domicile' is a possibility, but I don't think it's so widely understood (and a German domicile is a city, but an English domicile is a jurisdiction, such as Germany or England and Wales or California). 'Corporate headquarters' seems a slightly different context to me.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 hrs (2007-02-13 11:55:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I gave this 4 rather than 5 because a moderator once told me off for using 5!
Reference comments
894 Tage
Eberhard Nietzer
Deutschland
Deutschland
Native in Deutsch
Specializes in field
Deutschland
law degree / basic experience in US law
Native in: Deutsch
Works in: Englisch > Deutsch, Deutsch > Englisch
Reference:
EIR - EuInsVO
Artticle 3 section 1 of the European Insolvency Regulation uses the term "registered office", the German version of the Regulation uses the term "Sitz". So I think that using "registered office" is a pretty safe alternative.
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