A single mistranslated word in a contract can cost your company a fortune, while a poorly-translated legal document going viral for all the wrong reasons can tarnish your hard-earned reputation. These are not just hypothetical scenarios, these could happen to any legal professional who isn’t careful enough.
The stakes are sky-high in law, as such, miscommunication in legal translation isn’t just an “oops.” It can lead to dire consequences.
Keep reading to find out the impact of legal translation mistakes and how to steer clear from them.
The High Cost of Mistranslation
Financial Repercussions
- Contract Disputes: A single mistranslated clause in a contract could lead to legal battles and hefty settlement costs.
- Regulatory Fines: Inaccurate translations of compliance documents might result in unintentional violations of local laws, leading to severe penalties.
- Lost Business Opportunities: Misunderstandings due to poor translation can sour business relationships and cause lucrative deals to fall through.
| One amusing but unfortunate example of reputational damage and losing a business opportunity because of a mistranslation happened in 2018. When the Argentine soccer club Independiente aimed to sign player Bryan Cabezas. Independiente opted for using machine translation to translate their contract into English. Unfortunately, the software translated Bryan’s surname, “Cabezas,” which means “heads” in Spanish, into “Brian Heads.” As a result, the contract was deemed invalid, and Independiente couldn’t sign the soccer player, thus losing the opportunity to reach their goal that season. |
Reputational Damage
- Loss of Credibility: Errors in official documents can make an organization appear unprofessional or careless.
- Media Scrutiny: High-profile mistranslations can attract negative media attention, potentially damaging public perception.
- Erosion of Trust: Clients and partners may lose faith in an entity that consistently produces poorly translated legal documents.
Common Pitfalls in Legal Translation
- Word-for-word Translations
- Lack of Legal Terminology Knowledge
- Cultural Misunderstandings
- Inconsistent Terminology Across Documents
Best Practices for Accurate Legal Translation
To mitigate the risks associated with legal translation, consider the following best practices:
- Hire Specialized Translators: Work with translators who have both linguistic skills and legal expertise in the relevant jurisdictions.
- Implement Quality Control Measures: Establish a rigorous review process, including proofreading and quality assurance.
- Prioritize Cultural Competence: Ensure translators understand the legal and cultural contexts of both the source and target languages.
Remember, when it comes to legal translation, the old adage holds true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don’t let a simple mistranslation turn into a legal nightmare.
Looking for a legal translator? Legal Interpreters LLC is the right place for you. Contact us for a quote and we’ll provide you with the high-quality legal translation you deserve.
Written by Valentina Rodriguez