So What is so Different about Legal Document Translation?

Legal document translation is as different to any other type of translation as the legal language is to any other technical language. It’s a bit like asking a French translator to translate an English document into German if you ask a marketing translator to deal with a legal document for you.

German translators who are capable of handling legal documents and legal document translation should be experienced first and foremost in the two languages of English and German, of course, but also should have working knowledge of the two legal systems as well and preferably have experience in translating legal documents. You will probably pay a bit more for this sort of specialised service, but if you want your Mercedes looked at by a mechanic, you don’t necessarily want to employ a mechanic who has only been used to Volkswagens, do you?

Legal documents include things like birth, death and marriage certificates, deposition records, financial statements, patent confirmations and certificates, letters of application, wills and covenants, business contacts and litigation material amongst others. The German translation service you choose should be aware of what these documents are all about and have had experience in translating them. This means they are well versed in legal terminology but have a working knowledge of the intricacies of German law as well as that of the English speaking country you are based in.

It hardly bears stressing that the outcome of even the slightest mistake in a legal translation might have important and expensive ramifications, so the English German translators used must be professionals in terms of their standards of accuracy and their editing and proofreading. Legal document translation should never be left to a bilingual staff member or, worse still, an online translation tool, whatever may seem to be the savings in cost of doing this.

Finally, two more important aspects of legal document translators are the speed of delivery and the requirement for confidentiality. While you are not expecting a German translator to rush through an important legal document translation you will most likely have deadlines of your own and you will need to know whether the translator can deliver by the specified date. In addition, you will want to be assured that the document contents are totally secure and cannot be made known to any other person or organisation because of lax confidentiality standards. Most businesses or organisations that regularly require legal document translation will usually work with the same trusted translation service once they are happy with the level of service they offer.

Are Communication Standards Falling in Translation?

There are a number of English speaking countries that are failing to use standard English when conveying messages or product information in the language. This is not only misleading, but can also damage product promotion.

Global education is a sector that can lose out if any incorrect language is used when marketing the education product to students and other agencies wishing to gain advantages from education in overseas countries by marketing an education product in their own country.

Australia, for example, relies on education agents overseas in order to recruit students to educational institutions of all kinds in Australia. It is crucial that the educational information provided to overseas countries is translated accurately and is persuasive without being misleading. There have been cases where students have been recommended for courses that have been unsuitable and have damaged Australia’s reputation as a good education provider.

There have also been instances where students have been misled by offshore agents when it comes to visa requirements when entering Australia for study purposes.  Some of this misunderstanding is due to mistranslation as well as omission of facts because their importance has been underrated.  A good German translator would ensure no misunderstanding would take place.

Poor communication has also taken place between students and persuasive education agents who have tried to persuade students to change agents so that they get a better deal when it comes to selecting an educational institution in Australia. Prospective students can easily be misled if important information is lost in translations.

Due to misunderstandings and confusion regarding study in Australia, the Australian Education Department at federal level is trying to find ways of ensuring that students get the highest quality of information on courses whether it’s through an education agent in their own country or through communication with a provider in Australia. If the student is coming to Australia from Germany he or she should ensure that the course content, visa requirements and information such as working while a student in Australia should be clearly translated by a German English translator who is experienced as an English German translator too.