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"special relation" or "special relationship"?

English translation: special relationship

12:43 Nov 18, 2008
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Law: Taxation & Customs
English term or phrase: "special relation" or "special relationship"?
I'm editing an article about investment and income tax, and the phrase "special relation" keeps coming up. My instinct is to change it to "special relationship"--just seems better English to me. I don't have a special relation with someone; I have a special relationSHIP. However, that "special relation" might be a term used in a specific way in finance and/or law, keeps nagging at me. So thought I would check with those more knowledgeable in this field than I am: the ProZ KudoZ experts.
(Googling doesn't clear it up for me; both are shown.)

Used as follows:
"Taxpayers acquiring assets or shares through a foreign special purpose company will be treated as the direct owners if there is a special relation and the purchase price is not arm’s length.
Suzan Hamer
Netherlands
Local time: 21:05
Selected answer:special relationship
Explanation:
I would also suggest this change:

f there is a special relation >> if a special relationship exists

This does not read right: is not arm’s length > AT arm’s length ??

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Note added at 26 mins (2008-11-18 13:10:25 GMT)
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Right, you need the preposition "at" (I have no way of knowing whether this terminology is correct, I'm simply commenting on the structure)
Selected response from:

David Russi
United States
Local time: 13:05
Grading comment
Thank you, David.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6special relationship
David Russi


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
\"special relation\" or \"special relationship\"?
special relationship


Explanation:
I would also suggest this change:

f there is a special relation >> if a special relationship exists

This does not read right: is not arm’s length > AT arm’s length ??

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2008-11-18 13:10:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Right, you need the preposition "at" (I have no way of knowing whether this terminology is correct, I'm simply commenting on the structure)

David Russi
United States
Local time: 13:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 7
Grading comment
Thank you, David.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, the "arm's length" thing bothered me to . . . so googled it and found this: "SECTION 31C [ARCHIVE] - PURCHASE OF TRADING STOCK NOT AT ARM'S LENGTH - [ Vertaal deze pagina ] (i) that the purchase price is greater than the amount (in this section referred to as the arm's length price) that, in the opinion of the Commissioner, ... law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?locid='RPC/19360027/31C-repealed-1' -"

Asker: Wish there was a way to edit these notes. Of course I meant "bothered me TOO." Haste makes waste. Thanks also for the writing tip ("there is" / "exists"). Is it just me or do financial people speak another entirely different form of English?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Moore (X): My Aunt Emily was a special relation; the writer here was wrong to drop the "ship", IMHO. Whatever google says....
11 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Armorel Young: agree with David
27 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Ken Cox: As a native US speaker (but not a tax lawyer) I'd also use 'relationship'. The Oxford dico indicates that 'relation' is used in UK English, but the examples it provides use 'between' or an indirect 'between' (e.g. Anglo-American relations).
32 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  conejo: As a native US speaker "relation" sounds odd.
7 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Francesca Siotto
9 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  dd dd: special relation = affiliation? Affiliate is a term very often used in this type of context.
14 hrs
  -> Thanks
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