The world is getting smaller. People are communicating across regions, nations, continents. People are communicating across languages. And they are doing it with increasing frequency across a multitude of industries, sectors, and subjects.
This is good. It brings us closer together. It expands our understanding.
It also means accurate translation is needed more and more.
In a legal context, this could be across any practice area. From corporate and commercial, to medical negligence and personal injury, to immigration, to criminal.
If a translation is required in a legal context, it is usually a requirement that this translation is certified. Whilst machines are getting better at helping us translate, they still leave much to be desired regarding quality and consistency, and, crucially for this topic, they cannot certify their output.
What is a Certified Translation?
A certified translation is essentially a translation that has been verified for accuracy by the qualified translator or language service provider that produced it. It is usually accompanied by a statement of accuracy and the translator or LSP’s credentials. In legal contexts, certified translations are crucial to ensure that documents have been correctly interpreted and will be accepted by the relevant authorities.
Note: For comprehensive details, please refer to the video, which contains all the information covered in the article.
Types of Certified Translations
Certified translations cover a range of different types. A generic certified translation is a translation that a translator or a Language Service Provider (LSP) has certified as true and accurate. These are often required for legal documents such as academic records and official certifications.
There are also notarised translations, where the translator has been verified by a notary public. This is usually needed for documents that are going to be used abroad. The notary verifies the translator’s signature; however, they do not verify the quality or accuracy of a translation.
Legalised or apostilled translations are another type. These involve taking the translation to the Legalisation Office at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London, where, if accepted, it is stamped and certified as a legal document.
Lastly, there are sworn translations, which are prepared by a sworn translator. This is a qualified individual who has sworn an oath in front of a relevant legal authority in certain jurisdictions. A sworn translation system doesn’t exist in the UK, but if you intend to use a translation in another jurisdiction or with a foreign authority, especially if that authority is part of a civil law jurisdiction, such as in Italy, Poland, or Holland, a sworn translation may be required.
Ensuring Quality and Confidentiality
Ensuring the quality of legal translations involves using only qualified and experienced linguists. At IMD Translation, for example, all linguists are qualified and experienced to a minimum ISO 17100 standard.
Data security is also of utmost importance. Measures such as compliance with relevant legislation, enforceable policies, NDAs, regular audits, and secure storage and transmission methods are all used to ensure client information remains safe and secure.
What to do if you Require a Certified Translation
Certified translations play a vital role in the legal field. As the world continues to globalise, the demand for these services is only set to increase.
If you have been asked for, or need to submit a translation, always double check with the requesting authority to see what type of certification is required. Then, let IMD Translation know!