6 tips for boosting your legal translations

 

Legal translation is a specialization that not only requires an in-depth knowledge of both the source and target languages, but also a grasp of legal terminology. Of course, it helps if you are able to get familiar with a specific area of the law or the legal system of the target language country you are serving. But that doesn’t mean to say you need a law degree in order to competently translate legal texts. 

Here are 6 simple tips that will help ensure that the legal translation you produce is highly accurate and relevant to the specific needs of your client.

Table of Contents

1. Discuss how the document will be used
2. Create a glossary
3. Don't forget the dialect
4. Get to grips with the legal system
5. Be clear about formatting
6. Keep lines of communication open

 

1. Discuss how the document will be used

Some legal translations are required for nothing more than information purposes, while others will be referred to in a court of law. Having a clear understanding of the document’s purpose will help to ensure that the quality and cost meet the client’s expectations. 

Where can I get my hands on this information?

Sometimes it's pretty obvious. However, there will be times when you'll need to communicate with your client in order to work out the intended purpose of the text. For example, it's worth asking if it's going to be used for personal reference or for legal proceedings to determine whether things such as cover pages, signature pages, or even handwritten notes on the margins need to be translated. 

 

2. Create a glossary

There are a number of legal terms in English that have more than one foreign language equivalent, or which may require some explanation. 

It’s worth taking the time to collate any relevant terms and query any unknown concepts with you client before embarking on a legal translation. The easiest way to go about this is by creating a simple spreadsheet, although CAT tools can also help with this.

Although it may seem like a lengthy process, this will help to prevent delays further down the line and will also ensure that the text remains technically accurate in the target language.

3. Don’t forget the dialect

English, like many other languages, is an official language in a number of countries. However, this doesn’t mean that their legal systems are in any way similar. 

With this in mind, it’s important to double check the country in which your legal translation will be used. 

Let’s take the example of Spanish. As the official language of much of Latin America, it’s important for Spanish translators to know whether their translation will be used in Mexico or Venezuela, as this can greatly impact the legal terms included.

How do I differentiate one from the other?

There may also be legal terminology that is unique to certain countries and which requires some investigation. The ProZ dictionaries and glossaries are a great tool for working out exactly what certain legal terms mean, with explanations often provided by experienced translators working in the field.

 

4. Get to grips with the legal system

As we mentioned earlier, you don’t need a law degree to produce a quality legal translation. That said, it is worth investing some time in getting familiar with everyday legal terminology and the basics of the legal system you most often translate for. 

What if I'm short of time?

There are heaps of short, self-paced courses available online that can help to provide you with a basic understanding of these knowledge areas. At TranslaStars, we have a number of legal courses available on our Italian, Spanish and English sites. 

5. Be clear about formatting

In general, legal documents follow a relatively standard format that can be easily replicated without having to add on extra costs for DTP. However, it’s always worth checking this out with your client before diving into the text. 

If a text contains charts or tables, you need to know whether they should be reproduced in the target text or if simply translating the associated text is enough.

Why does formatting matter?

At the end of the day, creating charts and tables can be extremely time-consuming, and depending on how many the text contains it could leave you short of precious time for translation. Therefore, it's best to get a clear understanding of what's expected from the start so that you're able to propose a reasonable deadline and give yourself enough time to do a decent job.

 

6. Keep lines of communication open

It’s no secret that legal translations often involve a lot of back and forth between the translator and the client, especially if the subject matter is especially tricky. If you’re working with a direct client, it’s important that you make them aware of this and establish the best way to keep in touch for the duration of the project. This can help to prevent information blackouts which can stall your work as a translator.

What's the best way to go about this?

There are two great ways to go about this. The first involves scheduling a weekly meeting to discuss any issues that may have arisen with regards to the translation. However, this only works for larger projects that run over a longer period of time.

For shorter texts, it's useful to create a live query document (using Google Sheets, for example) that can be accessed by anyone involved in the project at any time. This facilitates a smooth workflow and ensures that any issues are cleared up as quickly as possible. 

 

If you’d like to learn more about legal translation, or you’re looking to hone your skills in the area, then check out Lucy Makepeace’s top course which is packed full of priceless tips and a live one-on-one session to help you get started.

Written by Helen Hadley for TranslaStars.