International contracts, immigration documents, birth certificates, patents, regulations or wills have one thing in common. They all require professional Chinese legal translation services. How to choose a quality service provider and what makes legal document translation so complex?
Legal translation – what is it?
Legal translation is a multifaceted branch that specializes in translating legal and official documents. It requires profound knowledge of linguistics, cultures, legislations, regulations and standards of both source and target languages.
What makes legal translation so complex?
Due to the nature of translated documents, the job of legal translators is extremely responsible. They usually engage with businesses that employ people from various countries or need support when going international. Moreover, individuals that have to translate contracts, documents and certificates also require professional services.
Preparing a quality legal translation means following a few criteria such as conveying the meaning of the source document intact, applying appropriate terminology, keeping the formal style and staying concentrated throughout the entire translation process to eliminate errors. In order to provide such demanding services, translators employed by a given company should be specialized or sworn to ensure that they are a great fit for the job.
How to choose a professional legal document translation company?
Choosing a professional legal document translation company isn’t a piece of cake, especially if your proficiency in the target language is limited.
Even minor errors in legal documents can have severe consequences. Studies indicate that as many as 21% of legal errors stem from inappropriate document preparation. Consequently, the choice of a service provider can significantly affect your future.
Knowledge of legal concepts
Even when speaking your native language, you may have problems with comprehending complex legal terms and concepts. Therefore, ensure that the chosen legal document translation company has an in-depth understanding of the source and target language, regulations and legal systems.
Accuracy
Legal translation doesn’t accept word-for-word translations or omissions. The document should convey necessary information and serve its purpose.
Localization
Even seemingly insignificant errors can make the translation invalid. Make sure that the selected company offers localization services and is willing to adapt the source document to the formats, styles, legal systems and principles of the target language.
A quality legal translation provider is characterized by a profound knowledge of the language, cultural and formal discrepancies between the countries. Without such strong understanding, it’s impossible to deliver adequate and correct legal document translation.
