Linda Thody Nov 15, 2010:

Cheers Michael!
A nice start to the week :-)

michael cawley (asker) Nov 14, 2010:

Linda, you're a power among translators !
You're right about the 'corporate' thing which is out of context, so I'll avoid 'executive' - and the explanation of Statutory Instruments given by Jean Martin is most appropriate, following as it does an 'atto dispositivo' ('an enabling act' dexribed by J.M. rather than 'act of dispostion' as given in other entries ?) and Decreto Ministeriale. Perhaps, in the ned, I like Vittorio Felaco's 'Departmental Directive' because it preserves the origininal D.D. and is sufficiently impersonal (and, to be honest,my client over the water is not going to quibble about the finer points of Italian nomenclature).
Many many thanks
and good luck with everything!
Michael

Linda Thody Nov 13, 2010:

Hi Michael, not sure if you've see this Kudoz entry: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/italian_to_english/law:_contracts/...
where Jean Martin has given a very good description-interpretation of "dirigenziale" used in this way.
Personally I think I'd translate it something along the lines of Director's Resolution or maybe Decree approved by the Director in charge. Executive to me sounds just a tad too "corporate".
HTH!
Linda

michael cawley (asker) Nov 13, 2010:

Many thanks for the rich and varied contributions to what I thought would be a simple little one way translation ! I can see the virtue of each of them but think Linda'a is the surest long form of the acronym - & and the translation... (Directorial/Executive Decree/Decision ??): hmm... thanks to all !