assignment / cession
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assignment / cession
(Law/finance) The contractual transfer of a claim, right, or entitlement from one creditor (assignor) to a new creditor (assignee).
Die Bank verlangte die Abtretung seiner zukünftigen Gehaltsansprüche als Sicherheit für den Kredit.
The bank required the assignment of his future salary claims as security for the loan.
cession
(Politics/international law) The contractually regulated transfer of a territory from one state to another.
Nach dem Krieg erfolgte die Abtretung von Elsass-Lothringen an Frankreich.
After the war, the cession of Alsace-Lorraine to France took place.
'Abtretung' (assignment/cession) is the nominalization of the separable verb 'abtreten' (to cede/hand over). The verb literally means 'to step away' and, figuratively, 'to hand something over' or 'to give something up'. The ending '-ung' makes the word feminine.
Der Minister musste sein Amt an seinen Nachfolger abtreten.
The minister had to hand over his office to his successor.
The word 'Abtretung' (assignment/cession) is used almost exclusively in specialized language, especially in law and finance as well as in politics and historical writing.
Der Vertrag enthält eine Klausel zur Abtretung von Lizenzrechten.
The contract contains a clause on the assignment of licensing rights.
To describe what is being assigned or ceded, German often uses 'von' + dative or the genitive. The recipient is indicated with the preposition 'an' + accusative.
Die Abtretung der Provinz an den Nachbarstaat wurde im Vertrag festgelegt.
The cession of the province to the neighboring state was stipulated in the treaty.
You can tell from the context whether it is about finances or territories. Words like 'Forderung' (claim), 'Recht' (right), or 'Sicherheit' (security) point to the legal meaning, while 'Gebiet' (territory), 'Staat' (state), or 'Grenze' (border) point to the political meaning.
Die Abtretung der Forderung war eine Bedingung für den Kredit.
The assignment of the claim was a condition for the loan.
transmission / transfer
Both words can refer to the formal transfer of a right. die Übertragung is the general expression for this change, whereas Abtretung specifically refers to the contractual transfer of a claim or entitlement. In the case of a change of creditor, “Abtretung” is therefore more precise.
Die Abtretung der Forderung an die Bank wurde im Vertrag festgehalten.
The assignment of the claim to the bank was recorded in the contract.
Die Übertragung der Forderung auf ein anderes Unternehmen wurde vertraglich geregelt.
The transfer of the claim to another company was regulated by contract.
