Why Accurate French Translations Save Legal Disputes

It's hard to think of many areas where accuracy is more crucial than the legal world. While a mistranslated word may sound a little odd or even comical in another setting, when it comes to the law, it can lead to serious misunderstandings, financial repercussions, or even legal disputes. Thankfully, all of these costly and stressful headaches can be avoided by choosing high-quality French translation services. Read on to learn what makes these language solutions so essential – and what to look for if you need to use them.

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Document translation (French to English or vice versa) of course relies on accurate and clear translations. However, in some areas of translation, there is room for the translator to use their own judgment and perhaps even make artistic decisions, depending on what kind of translation the client is after.

For instance, let’s say the document in question was a story set in Paris, where a character named Jean-Paul drank an espresso while eating a croissant. The translation could stick to the original setting and scenario, or elements of “transcreation” could also be used, to make the scene more relevant to the new reader.

For an American audience, this might mean transposing the story to concern a character named Lance enjoying a latte and a bagel. This is an example of transcreation, with the content “localized” so that it strikes a chord with the target audience. Most often, this strategy would be used to localize content for an e-commerce website, hoping to connect with a new customer base; in works of fiction it is usual to leave such cultural references intact. However, in both cases, a certain amount of artistic license exists, and it’s up to the translator and author to agree on how faithful the translation should be.

This does not apply to legal translations, where accuracy and fidelity to the source text are crucial. Indeed, if a legal translator were to employ the same creative freedoms as a literary translator, the ensuing problems would not be merely a question of preference: they could spiral into serious juridical disputes.

Part of the inherent challenge with legal translation arises due to the very nature of legal systems. Each country creates its own unique legal system with laws and juridical protocols specific to that country. Often, these concepts are particular to that nation, and there may not be a direct equivalent in another country.

Let’s look at an example. In France, a “contrat de société” carries specific legal implications that don’t translate neatly into English. Essentially, it is a legal document that outlines the terms and conditions under which two or more individuals or entities come together to form a business. While it shares similarities with a partnership agreement or articles of incorporation found in English-speaking legal systems, it is not legally identical and carries some additional implications under French law.

Failure to correctly translate or outline this legal concept could result in various potential legal disputes, including:

As you can see, simply mistranslating one legal term can result in a whole host of potential problems down the line.

One strategy to avoid such disputes is to use functional equivalence, which involves using the closest legal term in the target language, considering the context. However, it may also be necessary to include footnotes or additional clarifications to ensure all parties fully understand all aspects of the contract’s implications.

Clearly, choosing an experienced legal translator for French translations is paramount. While a general translator may be highly competent in both languages, it is unlikely they possess the necessary legal expertise to tackle these highly specialized projects. That’s why choosing a translation and interpretation agency that works with French interpreters and translators who also have experience working within both countries’ legal systems, such as Capital Linguists. Agencies such as these also provide court-certified interpretation services, ideal for navigating the French or American court systems. Navigating legal systems can be stressful even without a language barrier.

By selecting a competent and highly experienced French translator, you’ll avoid additional anguish and be sure that a mistranslation won’t stand in the way of justice!