In a nutshell, the best practices in Legal Translation come from technical and practical aspects. A background as a lawyer that will support your performance is indeed another level of standard. You do not have to worry if you do not fulfill this, because there is a trusted translation agency available for you.
Just like other fields that require specialization to handle a special case, translators must do the same. It is because each text has its own treatment. One branch of translation practice is Legal Translation where there are many challenges to be faced. Therefore, language skills must be supported by several crucial things. Continue reading to find out the tips and tricks to obtain best practices in Legal Translation.
- Maintain the Confidentiality
Legal Translation deals with legal texts which include Notarized Documents, Court Decisions, Patent Procedures, Law and Regulations, Contracts, Official Documents, and Legal Publications. A language partner with strong data security is a fixed requirement. Meanwhile, the translator needs to be given a letter of agreement that has to be signed. Translation agencies should indeed use the finest software to support their platforms in order to enhance performance.
- Ready for Clients Anytime
This point may sound cliché as being ready for clients anytime can be one of the best practices in Legal Translation. Legal texts have urgency, so they assign tight deadlines. Take note of cultural knowledge now that it is an essential part to reach equivalence in another language. By mastering its term, you will work fast. Your credibility as a translator is also maintained because there are no words that you do not translate under the pretext of being untranslatable.
- Gain Your Certification
Best practices in Legal Translation in Indonesia can simply be achieved if you are already a sworn translator. When you are declared so, you will get a certificate after going through various processes. For instance, you are able to understand legal text features, such as archaic language use and formality.
In Canada, the certification is called as Canadian Translators, Terminologists, and Interpreters Council (CTTIC). The applicants are not only tested in translating skill but there is also a writing test. Meanwhile, in Germany, they have to choose specifications first before being given a series of tests that suit their interests
- Hiring Linguists
As Nababan states that accuracy, acceptability, and readability are the aspects to assess a translation product, a highly skilled native speaker of the target text can be a linguist to support its process. Dealing with ambiguous and newly derived words are challenging that is quite difficult to conquer, so a competent person will be very helpful.
- Become a Subject Expertise
You can meet the best practice in translation by being a subject expert, not least for a legal translator. Depth knowledge of constitution, law and codes of target text can assist a translator to produce a reliable one. It is better if you have a background in legal since some lawyers play in this industry. Once you are done, learn more about particular law areas, such as intellectual property.
- Take a Look at Text Format
Clear and concise are the fixed rules for Legal Translation to avoid message deviation in the target text. Therefore, explanatory notes must be added if the translators need to change the format. Meanwhile, for the elements that cannot be translated such as signature, they are asked to convert them to words or phrases in brackets, instead of copying.
- Use Reference Documents
Having long and complex sentences is one of the features of legal text, there are even single sentences consisting of 15 lines. In this case, the translator should analyze the meaning as the initial step. Necessary research is helpful for this. By using reference documents, the result will meet the expectation. You can use Translation Memory Systems as a sophisticated tool rather than a conventional one like a dictionary.
