de un sitio de

English translation: approximately 4,338 acres of land (see explanation below)

21:42 Nov 22, 2009
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History
Spanish term or phrase: de un sitio de
Y en otro ejemplo, en 1595 Gonzalo López Músico por merced que se le otorgó, de un sitio de estancia para ganado mayor funda la Hacienda de la Angostura, Zacatecas con un obraje, del cual habría de surgir la comunidad de Villa García, reconocida hasta hace algunos años por sus tejedores.
Patricia Rosas
United States
Local time: 22:26
English translation:approximately 4,338 acres of land (see explanation below)
Explanation:
the expression is in fact "sitio de ganado mayor" or "sitio de estancia de ganado mayor", according to this wonderful ref (!!):

In Mexico, 16th – 20th century (UN 1966), a unit of land area used in making land grants, a square 5000 varas on a side (one square legua), approximately 17.5561 square kilometers (approximately 4,338 acres) legalized in 1837 by the Mexican Ordinance for Land and Sea.1 This was the amount of land considered necessary for a cattle ranch. Also called sitio de estancia de ganado mayor and sometimes spelled sitio de ganedo mayor.
In California, 19th century, this unit was sometimes referred to as a California league, distinguishing it from the league in Texas, which was 4,428.4 acres....
...The shape of a sitio de estancia de ganado mayor is a square each of whose sides* is 5000 Mexican varas. Two of the sides face east-west, and consequently the other two sides face south-north. The distance from the center of the sitio to each of its sides, walking directly toward a cardinal point on the horizon (due east, west, north or south), is 2500 varas. The distance measured from the same center to each of the four right** angles of the sitio, must be 3535½ varas, and the distance that you measure from any one of the angles to the opposite angle, should be 7071 varas. If the cordel of 50 varas is used for these measurements, each of the sides of the sitio de estancia de ganado mayor must have 100 cordels; from the center to each one of the sides must be 50 cordels; from the same center to each one of the angles must measure 70 cordels, 35½ varas, and from an angle to the one opposite it should be 141 cordels and 21 varas. See figure 1 for the best information on what we speak of.

_____________-

How you choose to phrase this is up to you!

Perhaps something vague like "a plot of farmland"...?

I've just done the donkey work - leave you to add the master strokes!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2009-11-23 10:34:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------


perhaps farmland is too vague - prefer:

"land suitable for a cattle ranch"
Selected response from:

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:26
Grading comment
Carol: Thanks so much for this information! Far more than "donkey" work! It didn't even occur to me that sitio was a measure!! Hope you're having a good weekend!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1out of a cattle estancia...
imcven
4approximately 4,338 acres of land (see explanation below)
Carol Gullidge
3land
Rafael Molina Pulgar


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
land


Explanation:
Parece que la expresión es sitio de estancia.

Rafael Molina Pulgar
Mexico
Local time: 23:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
out of a cattle estancia...


Explanation:
Along the lines of:

"He set up Hacienda de La Angostura out of a cattle estancia".

Cheers

imcven
Venezuela
Local time: 01:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Julie Waddington: Agree with the structure of this, especially the "out of a..." but wonder why you don't translate "estancia" as "ranch" or "farm". Having just looked back at the question, I realize "estancia" is not in the question so please ignore my previous comment.
4 hrs
  -> Thanks for your comment
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
approximately 4,338 acres of land (see explanation below)


Explanation:
the expression is in fact "sitio de ganado mayor" or "sitio de estancia de ganado mayor", according to this wonderful ref (!!):

In Mexico, 16th – 20th century (UN 1966), a unit of land area used in making land grants, a square 5000 varas on a side (one square legua), approximately 17.5561 square kilometers (approximately 4,338 acres) legalized in 1837 by the Mexican Ordinance for Land and Sea.1 This was the amount of land considered necessary for a cattle ranch. Also called sitio de estancia de ganado mayor and sometimes spelled sitio de ganedo mayor.
In California, 19th century, this unit was sometimes referred to as a California league, distinguishing it from the league in Texas, which was 4,428.4 acres....
...The shape of a sitio de estancia de ganado mayor is a square each of whose sides* is 5000 Mexican varas. Two of the sides face east-west, and consequently the other two sides face south-north. The distance from the center of the sitio to each of its sides, walking directly toward a cardinal point on the horizon (due east, west, north or south), is 2500 varas. The distance measured from the same center to each of the four right** angles of the sitio, must be 3535½ varas, and the distance that you measure from any one of the angles to the opposite angle, should be 7071 varas. If the cordel of 50 varas is used for these measurements, each of the sides of the sitio de estancia de ganado mayor must have 100 cordels; from the center to each one of the sides must be 50 cordels; from the same center to each one of the angles must measure 70 cordels, 35½ varas, and from an angle to the one opposite it should be 141 cordels and 21 varas. See figure 1 for the best information on what we speak of.

_____________-

How you choose to phrase this is up to you!

Perhaps something vague like "a plot of farmland"...?

I've just done the donkey work - leave you to add the master strokes!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 hrs (2009-11-23 10:34:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------


perhaps farmland is too vague - prefer:

"land suitable for a cattle ranch"


    Reference: http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:7vK2ISrbu4sJ:www.sizes....
Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80
Grading comment
Carol: Thanks so much for this information! Far more than "donkey" work! It didn't even occur to me that sitio was a measure!! Hope you're having a good weekend!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search