If you have been following our blog, you will surely have realised that we aim to talk bout the main aspects that you, as a company, look for when hiring a translation or copywriting agency

In our previous post we talked about how a translation agency can help you internationalise your content. Now we would like to focus on an aspect that may be related: sworn translations.

Let us explain what these are…

You may have heard this concept countless times, but maybe you are not entirely clear about what it consists of.

Let us explain…

A sworn translation is one that certifies that a document has been translated officially. In other words, that it can be used abroad.

It is a translation that is addressed to both public and private official bodies and, very importantly, must on most occasions be physically delivered as it should bear the original signature and stamp of the translator.

This last point may raise some questions for you. Do not worry, we will explain them to you:

Sworn translations must be delivered exclusively by official translators who have been certified for this type of translation.

It should be noted that to obtain the certification as a sworn translator, the applicant can obtain this status by taking the examinations held in each country. In Spain, this is done by the Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas, which is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

But this is not what we will focus on today.

Back to the sworn translation, also known as an official translation, or certified translation is valid before any administrative body, among others, courts, tribunals or consulates.

And as a company, when do I need a sworn translation?

Now that you have a clearer idea on the subject, it is time to talk about how you as a company can benefit from an official or sworn translation.

As we have been mentioning in previous posts, we are living in an increasingly globalised society.

Surely you are starting to consider going international. It is quite likely that you consider it increasingly necessary.  If so, read on.

We will explain how an official, sworn translation can benefit you…

Once you go international, you will start to face negotiations between companies from different countries with whom you will most likely have to sign private agreements.

This is where we would start to talk about international contracts understood as private documents. These are usually used to regulate international transactions between companies or individuals from different countries.

Considering the importance of these international contracts and their official status in these countries of the companies or individuals who sign them, this is when they become important.

A sworn translation of a contract is a fundamental requirement to make it enforceable before the legal authorities of a country. Alternatively, it may be necessary for the simple fact that it is being understood by both or some of the parties signing it.

The same holds true when dealing with administrative documents. For all documents issued abroad to be valid abroad, these must be accompanied by an official translation.

The sworn translator ensures that the translated document is equally valid as the original.

If you wish to take a look at our complete service offering, considering sworn translations, please visit our Sworn Translations page

What should you consider?

We have explained you when a sworn and official translation is necessary and when you may need it.

But there are also downsides to consider when looking to hire a sworn translator.  There are some practices you have to avoid at all cost:

• Make sure that you are working with a reliable translation company, and above all, that it charges what a sworn translation is worth; the cost is usually considerably higher as it is an official, signed and certified stamped translation. Be wary of those who offer you a reduced cost, as these tend to have issues.

• Not only must the translator be an expert in his / her own, but he or she must also possess in-depth knowledge of the subject matter to be translated. Whether it is economics, law or business, sworn translations require a technical vocabulary that the translator must be able to understand and translate accurately.

What are the characteristics to look out for?

As an afterword, here are some of the characteristics you should look for in a sworn translation.

• Literality: The translator must guarantee the accuracy and accuracy of the translation. This does not imply that the translation is 100% literal, but rather that, to facilitate the legibility of the text, any changes deemed appropriate may be introduced, provided that the meaning and intention are not modified.

• Only one language: Sworn translations are only carried out from one language to another. Should a third language appear in the text, it will be left untranslated. There is a simple explanation for this. Sworn translators are only qualified to translate one language and to translate a third language without being officially qualified to do so, could be detrimental for the client.

• What if the translator detects an error? If the translator finds an error in the official document he/she is translating, he/she must communicate it as soon as possible, never translate it corrected in his/her version. As it is an official translation, the text must be perfect in both languages.

• Other factors: There are some details that should be considered. Where official or proper names appear in the text, these must be kept the same as in the original. Abbreviations, figures or dates must be adapted to the language in which these are translated.

To conclude…

It is important to bear in mind that sworn translations are becoming increasingly important in today’s marketplace.

We are referring to the large number of companies seeking to expand into foreign countries or to make themselves known in other markets and the need to have the appropriate documents translated into the required target language.

So, when taking this step as a company, you can rely on top-quality professionals from your trusted translation agency.

Contact us for more information and we will gladly assist you with your sworn translation