Not all translation work is the same. According to a leading linguist and noted expert in the field of translation, Roman Jakobson, translation is “the interpretation of verbal signs by means of some other language.” Translation professionals and service providers are called upon to convert various written documents from one language to another, from literary works of fiction and poetry to official documents, contracts, medical records, financial statements, and more. The latter of these examples fall within a category of “legal translation” because accuracy, exactitude, and precision are required to ensure the converted version is a perfect translation of the original.
Why is dual translation required for accurate legal translation?
Legal translation presents exceptional challenges, primarily because it requires the dual translation of two kinds of languages. Of course, there are both the source and target languages to deal with. However, the language of the law itself is a secondary matter that qualified translators must also be highly fluent in.
Legal translation requires formalization within the language communication system as its words go beyond describing meaning to relaying precise action, creating a second layer of accurate translation. Thus, a qualified legal translator must possess fluency in language and expertise with the legal systems involved in the transaction. There is no room in a legal translation for subjective interpretation.
The nature of various legal systems is another aspect to be navigated. Complexities vary depending on if each applicable culture adheres to civil law versus situations where one governs itself by civil law and the other by common law. The work becomes exponentially more complicated if one of the cultures uses a non-Western legal system such as Hindu or Islamic. Additionally, it can be quite simple for significant errors to be made in “converted” contracts or documents where the languages are the same or similar, but the legal systems are different. An inexperienced translator may overlook nuances in the various legal systems, and the resulting work fails to convey the original intent of exact provisions.
At the same time, international business is on the rise, increasing the need for accurate legal translations. Growing emerging markets, population shifts, the speed of innovation, the ease of cross-border communication and collaboration, and increased business competition are all significant contributors to a global economy. In fact, good dual translation is necessary to develop an environment where international business can flourish and grow.
For these reasons, it is essential to have legal documents translated by professionals trained and qualified for the work.
If you have a legal document that requires translation, likely you are in the midst of an important transaction. You’ve either spent months negotiating a deal with a foreign representative, you’re assisting a prospective immigrant to enter the United States, or perhaps you are working with a family purchasing a retirement property abroad. In any case, the last thing you want to happen is for errors in the translation process to stall or destroy your work.
At The Perfect Translation, we use teams of professional translators who have expertise in the subject matter they are translating for. You’ll rest assured that The Perfect Translation will translate your documents accurately and completely. We provide certified and notarized document translation services for all document types associated with immigration, business, real estate, financial, academic, legal, and medical industries. Contact us today for a free quote!
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