Translations – Technical Translations

The Humanity of Translation (in a Machine World)

Nimdzi Insights — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 11:41:15 +0000

When the cat is away, the mice will play

English. What a strange and quirky language. There are thousands and thousands of English sayings used just here in the United States. Sayings like Heavens to Betsy, If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, and, As American as apple pie. But what about English sayings in other parts of the globe? Do English speakers in Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Australia, or even our Canadian neighbors to the north use the same English sayings as we do? Well, to answer that question with yet another saying, Heck no!

With more than 370 million native English speakers walking around the planet, it stands to reason that the way we communicate will likely differ. But why? English, is “English” no matter where you go, right? Wrong.

Just like humans have migrated, immigrated, traveled, and settled in different parts of the world, so have our many languages. Over time and distance, what was once one way of speaking, became quite another, and another, and another. Yes, the language foundations might still be the same, but the languages themselves have evolved along with their users because languages are alive – they live and breathe within us all.

“It’s not the languages. It’s the cultures —you know, the way the people interact, the way they communicate, their world view”

We’ll let you in on a little secret – languages aren’t really made up of words. Honestly. You might think they are. After all, you have been forced to use dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, and textbooks throughout your life and all of these books are filled with, well, words. But here’s the thing – words are meaningless without context. And context comes from our collective experiences, our values, our belief systems, and our history. That is what defines a language. Perhaps Manuela Noske, communications manager at GALA said it best, “Oh, it’s not the languages. It’s the cultures — you know, the way the people interact, the way they communicate, their world view…”

Think of any given language as a glimpse into our past, our present, and our perceived future. Sure, if you are an English speaker in Canada, chances are you’ll communicate just fine with English-speaking folks from the United States, Australia, and even Ireland, but your unique language will have subtle – and sometimes not so subtle – differences. Why? Because the Canadian experience is unique. The Canadian story is unique. And so is its use of the English language.

Our collective experiences help to shape how we see the world and gauge our purpose in it. Every part of the globe has a very unique way of expressing spiritual beliefs, national pride, historical reflections, fears, humor, and every day behaviors. Even the weather has a profound influence on our unique take on language.

Some common English sayings for heavy rain include: “It’s raining cats and dogs!” and “It’s pouring buckets!”, but in the South, you might hear someone say, “It’s a frog strangler!”, which will likely prompt an explanation.

Even with these differences in sayings however, with a little extra effort, most English speakers can break down the cultural nuances and communicate fairly well. But what about trying to communicate with people who speak languages other than English? How do we take our unique sayings, our particular view of the world, and communicate effectively with people who speak other languages? And that is where experienced, human translators enter the front stage.

As long as there is humanity, there will be a need for human translators

Obviously, all languages have common sayings, as well as sayings that will differ from one region to another. Italians on the mainland speak differently than do Sicilians, French Canadians do not sound like Parisians, and citizens from Belarus are certainly not Russian. Again, each unique region has a unique lens through which their speakers see themselves and the world. And each unique region has its own special way of self-expression. With the rising trend of machine translation (MT) and computer-assisted tools (CAT), are we overlooking the humanity that has been injected into our global languages for millennia? Are we dismissing the subtle nuances of languages that have always existed, and are we attempting to omit the feelings that so eloquently flow from our lips? In one clean sweep, are we forgetting the humanity in our language? Some would argue that no machine, no MT, and no CAT will ever be able to translate our humanity, while others argue that there’s room enough for both.

The argument in favor of MTs – does it fall short?

Sure, MT has its appeal. It is relatively fast, generally cheaper, and almost always readily available. But machine translations aren’t human, and that alone can change the playing field. Since MT cannot comprehend nuances and subtleties, and since they can’t interpret intent, they allow for higher rates of inaccurate, inconsistent, and even incomprehensible translations.

But don’t take our word for it. There is proof in the pudding:

Removing the humanity from language

New technologies are all the rage. They save companies time and money – and that is sometimes the bottom line. Machine assisted translation can often be the best choice depending on the material being translated. But beware of translations that are void of the human touch. They might turn out to be nothing more than words void of compassion, of humility, of sympathy, generosity, and solidarity – and they might be delivering an entirely wrong message.

When you remove the human from the translation – when you replace her with a machine – you might end up with nothing more than words on a page.

Sworn Translator

Tetras Translations — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:37:56 +0000

In the course of our longstanding practice in the field of technical translation, we have come across many interesting issues. Because the world is opening up, national borders are gradually disappearing. However, every country has its own laws that must be obeyed – this is where translation services are required. It is a difficult process to translate official documents into the respective target language. Errors or minor changes in expressions may have disastrous consequences. And, of course, the translation content should be faithful, transparent and in accordance with all special requirements and regulations. That is why it is safer to ask a translation service provider or sworn translator to do the translation. It is important to invest the money necessary to obtain a high-quality translation.

Official translations are high-risk and sensitive not only for the individual but also for every company involved. The role of the sworn translator is to do a proper official translation of the official documents, certificates, securities and other regulations, provisional accounts, tax returns, audits and other types of documents. The prerequisite for good results is to handle basic legal terminology and apply knowledge of legal systems and trials. In addition, it is necessary to have practical experience in the legal field. And of course to have a degree in the language or languages into which one translates is a MUST. Taking into account financial costs and time, it is not easy to become a sworn translator but only they have the right to have the stamp put on the translation. The specific requirements for sworn translators differ according to the legal systems of the countries.

Different requirements for sworn translators

What is the system of sworn translators in the European Union? During the institutionalization of the European Union, it was challenging to incorporate the EU into the membership of international organizations. The main problem was the absence of a legal personality. Only the Lisbon Treaty changed opinions about legal autonomy, as it removed any doubts about the fact that the EU is an entity that possesses a legal identity.

According to the data of the European Commission “the services provided by sworn translators are organized differently in every member state with individual professional frameworks (heterogeneous systems and practices). The difference is caused by the existence of civil and common law. In Great Britain and Ireland the profession of a sworn translator is not regulated while in the countries with civil law such as Spain and Greece, there are various rules concerning the access and work conditions if talking about the status, charges or qualifications.” The registers of sworn translators are available in national databases of translators but these are not created in every member state. In the following text, we explain how the system of sworn translators works in Spain (civil law), Italy (common law) and the United Kingdom (common law).

No single database of sworn translators

Spain, with its civil law system, is characterized by the absence of specific regulations concerning sworn translators, although the right to have an interpreter or translator is stated in their criminal law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has the authority to grant certification to sworn translators who then are authorized to do sworn translations. Due to the fact that there is no single national database of sworn translators in Spain, the list of the persons who have passed the examinations for sworn translators is published on a regular basis by the Language Interpretation Office.

Another possibility to become eligible for sworn translation is to study Translation and Interpretation at a university that could provide the student with the necessary extra credits. But this system did not work. Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation follows market demand and the exams are offered only to translators whose language combination is needed.

Time-consuming job of a sworn translator

There is a completely different situation in Italy. The whole process is very time-consuming and sometimes even more expensive than in other countries. Why? The sworn translator must personally bring the original text and its translation (or an authenticated copy of it) to the court. In addition to that, they bring the sworn translation report stating that the translation has been executed “correctly and faithfully… for the sole purpose of ascertaining the truth”. By signing the report, the translator accepts official civil and penal responsibility for the translation. The signature and date must be written in the presence of a Court officer or Justice of the Peace. The translated document can only be legally used in Italy after legalization. Legalization certifies the origin and status of those who have signed the document. In practice, the notary official countersigns the report of the oath of the translator.

Sworn translations without sworn translators

And what about the United Kingdom? Most of the clients in the market for translation services still believe that professional translators must be certified or sworn to be able to process their translation faithfully. However, the common law system in the United Kingdom does not use the sworn concept. In spite of that, there are circumstances when certified translations are needed, such as when required by public authorities. The job of the sworn translator does not influence the quality, it serves instead to identify translator and his or her qualification, since ultimately the translator is the only one responsible for the translation.

If the translation is identified as sworn, the lawyer (or notary in Scotland) does not verify the quality of the translation but rather it is enough that the identity of the translator is sufficiently verified. Yet the certification reinforces the importance and credibility of the translated text. If the document was intentionally mistranslated or carelessly translated, the translator would be accused of contempt of court, perjury or negligence. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting is the association for translators and interpreters with the appropriate linguistic and technical skills. The members of the association are considered to be sufficiently qualified and have the right to verify their translations.

Apostille

Don’t forget that…

For translations to be legally accepted by the authorities of various countries, they must undergo super-legalization and multi-step verification even before submission. The authentication process became simpler when the Hague Convention was signed. Countries that are parties to the Convention use the Apostille – a declaration of the authenticity of the document from the authority that issued the document. Countries that require an Apostille (super-legalization) under the Hague Convention can be found in this list: www.hcch.net

We are preparing another article that concerns preparing the document for translation, super-legalization and bilateral agreement on legal force.