Serving different purposes
“Sworn” or “certified” translations stand up in court. It is certified as authentic, stamped, numbered, dated and signed by a specialist translator featured on the list of specialists issued by the court of appeal. Authenticated translations, be they certified or sworn, may have legal content, but they can also cover civil status documents, qualifications, patents, industry-related documentation and medical reports which need the approval of an specialist court translator.
Legal translation, on the other hand, does not require any kind of official approval by a specialist court translator. Instead, it needs to be carried out by qualified, legal translation professionals. Legal translation services are used by corporate legal departments looking to translate contracts, agreements, letters of dismissal, regulations, judgments and orders, amongst other documents.
Choosing the right translator for the job
Are “sworn” or “certified” translators legal specialists? Yes and no… They translate a variety of texts, including legal texts, and haven’t necessarily had any legal training. Be that as it may, they have sworn an oath and bind the translation by way of their signature.
Until very recently, specialist court translators were appointed depending on the number of vacant positions, with applications being accepted by private professional committee. This sometimes meant there was a limited choice in instances where there were few applicants.
The Ecole Supérieure d’Interprétation et de Traduction (ESIT) at Paris Dauphine found a judicious solution to this problem two years ago by selecting professional translators with a view to offering them theoretical and practical legal training lasting roughly one year.
Court translators should become increasingly professional and specialised in legal translation over the coming years.
Professional legal translators, i.e. translators who have undergone a translation course and legal training, are in fact specialists in both translation and legal matters.
The Institut Supérieur d’Interprétation et de Traduction (ISIT) in Paris offers a tailored ISIT/Law qualification, which produces specialist legal translators and encourages students to spend at least one year studying law in a university abroad, such as McGill University (Canada) for example.
In instances where a legal document contains subtleties and nuances, and perhaps even focus on a specific aspect of law (let’s face it, commercial law has nothing to do with criminal law or family law), a translation professional specialised in law would be the most judicious choice.
Finding a “sworn” or “certified” translator
Lists are available in town halls and courts of appeal as well as on the Internet. The lists can be used to find a sworn translator depending on the languages they use and their geographic location. (Geographic location is important since certified translations are always issued as original documents and therefore can’t be emailed).
Sworn translators generally invoice per 25-line page, regardless of whether or not it is full. Their turnaround times are also longer as they need to see the original documents. This means that all documentation and translations are sent by post. Original stamps and signatures must be used too.
Even if the translator has sworn an oath with the courts, it is always worth checking the dates, names and places cited in the translation to make sure no typos or mistakes have been made.
Finding a professional legal translator
There is no official list of professional legal translators, which means a certain number of precautions should be taken before entrusting a project to a translator.
It is necessary to:
- Firstly, ensure the translator is in fact a qualified translation professional or qualified legal specialist who is entirely bilingual.
- Secondly, check their mother tongue (the language in which they grew up, studied and know: it’s the only language into which they’ll be able to translate well.
- Lastly, verify their experience in legal translation by asking them for their references.
Working with a translation company
It’s worth noting the deliberate use of the word “company” as opposed to “agency”, which tends to be associated with “temping agencies” and “letterbox” entities.
Translation companies are managed by translation professionals who know their translators, test them, proofread their work and choose them for specific projects.
A translation company specialised in legal translation will make sure the most appropriate professional is chosen for the job and approve the target text before delivery, regardless of whether or not it’s a “sworn” or “certified” translation.
The team at CG Traduction & Interprétation comprises legal specialists, both in house and externally, able to switch between legal systems and localise legal texts in the culture of the target country. They are also keen to ask important questions and draw attention to legal ambiguities as and when they arise. Ensure peace of mind by placing your trust in CG’s professional team.