Best practice for translating stamps in legal docs Thread poster: DTS Inc.
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DTS Inc.
United States
Local time: 15:08
Can anyone recommend the best (industry standard) way to translate stamps in legal documents.
Currently, stamps that cannot be read are translated as [illegible Stamp] or [Circular Stamp - illegible], etc.
If a stamp is completely legible, it is translated with as [Stamp: xxxx]
However, here's my question - What if the stamp is partially legible?
90% of the text is clear and readable, but the last segment is not.
Does one translate partially?
[Partial... See more Can anyone recommend the best (industry standard) way to translate stamps in legal documents.
Currently, stamps that cannot be read are translated as [illegible Stamp] or [Circular Stamp - illegible], etc.
If a stamp is completely legible, it is translated with as [Stamp: xxxx]
However, here's my question - What if the stamp is partially legible?
90% of the text is clear and readable, but the last segment is not.
Does one translate partially?
[Partially legible Stamp: xxxxxxxx]
or translate as [illegible Stamp]?
Thank you in advance ▲ Collapse
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I don't think there is an industry standard for that, but I would say common sense dictates to use -illegible stamp-.because if the stamp is not entirely legible you cannot translate it half way and leave the rest open to interpretation.
That is what I do anyway. Hope this helps.
| | | | Joakim Braun 
Sweden
Local time: 21:08
German to Swedish
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| Something like | Aug 2, 2023 |
I'd do something like this:
[Partially legible stamp:]
Some legible text
More [...] not so legible [...]
Translate what's translatable (translatability degrades faster than legibility). For sworn translation, don't do any creative guesswork even if you're quite certain.
| | | | DTS Inc.
United States
Local time: 15:08
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you for input | Aug 4, 2023 |
Thank you both for your input. Since these are 2 different approaches to this issue, I will monitor this thread in case another translator would like to add input.
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| no industry standard | Aug 21, 2023 |
I find it so surprising, to this day, that there are virutally no actual legal/official translation standards in our world. The only thing we are expected to do, at least in France, as "experts judiciaires traducteurs-interprètes" is be as faithful and true to the original text or speech as we can, and we are simply trusted to do a good job at it! And to create a nice looking stamp to make the translation official. But that's about it!
In my experience, the parties receiving and readin... See more I find it so surprising, to this day, that there are virutally no actual legal/official translation standards in our world. The only thing we are expected to do, at least in France, as "experts judiciaires traducteurs-interprètes" is be as faithful and true to the original text or speech as we can, and we are simply trusted to do a good job at it! And to create a nice looking stamp to make the translation official. But that's about it!
In my experience, the parties receiving and reading these legal translations usually don't have a clue what the translation rules are.
As long as they understand what is written and see a stamp, they are satisfied.
I'd really be interested in anyone's input on this, especially experienced translators, if there are actually official or legal rules and regulations
[Edited at 2023-08-21 17:02 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:08
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
| My take on this | Aug 21, 2023 |
Personally, I would do the same as Joakim
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An industry standard? It would be impossible, as law is different from country to country and what’s acceptable in one is not acceptable in another, even in the EU. I was a sworn translator in Belgium when I lived there, but since I moved back to Portugal I no longer am, as there are no sworn translators in my country. As far as I know, in France, Belgium and Switzerland, there is a procedure in place to authorize certain translators to provide certified translations. These professionals are g... See more An industry standard? It would be impossible, as law is different from country to country and what’s acceptable in one is not acceptable in another, even in the EU. I was a sworn translator in Belgium when I lived there, but since I moved back to Portugal I no longer am, as there are no sworn translators in my country. As far as I know, in France, Belgium and Switzerland, there is a procedure in place to authorize certain translators to provide certified translations. These professionals are granted this right after taking an oath before a court of law. In other countries (USA, UK) you don’t need to take an oath and any translator can produce a certified translation…
[Edited at 2023-08-23 11:38 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | DTS Inc.
United States
Local time: 15:08
TOPIC STARTER | Agree on no industry standards | Aug 25, 2023 |
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find industry standards either.
This search for information started when a translation we did was questioned by a client regarding the translation of a stamp.
The client had apparently worked with an "ATA certified" translator in the past and stated that our approach was not correct because it wasn't "ATA standard".
Being an ATA member already, I contacted ATA to ask them if they could provide any information regarding standards for transl... See more Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find industry standards either.
This search for information started when a translation we did was questioned by a client regarding the translation of a stamp.
The client had apparently worked with an "ATA certified" translator in the past and stated that our approach was not correct because it wasn't "ATA standard".
Being an ATA member already, I contacted ATA to ask them if they could provide any information regarding standards for translating legal documents.
Needless to say... After multiple emails and re-directions, I ended up with no information or standards.
ATA actually has a standards committee and also a best practices committee, but I have received no response from my queries.
https://www.atanet.org/committee/standards-committee/
https://www.atanet.org/committee/business-practices-education-committee/
So I felt the best approach was to ask the Proz community. ▲ Collapse
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