As globalization increases and more cross-border legal agreements are made, translating contracts is in high demand. Contracts often consist of details regarding a deal, consequences for not fulfilling expectations, and information to ensure that both parties fully understand the terms established. Additionally, they’re known for being full of confusing legalese, which can make the translation even more of a complicated task.
When translating contracts into different languages, the translation must maintain the original messaging and legal standing. A minor discrepancy can create loopholes and ambiguity that might jeopardize a legal agreement and lead to costly ramifications.
Businesses translate contracts for a multitude of reasons, and there are several types of legal agreements that may require translation, including:
- Sales contracts
- License agreements
- Lease or rental agreements
- Employment contracts
- Non-disclosure agreements
- Terms and conditions
- Privacy policies
- Terms of service agreements
- Contracts of carriage
Whether it’s a business deal or an online user agreement for international customers and users, good contract translation requires accuracy and proper legal terminology. Due to the diversity of legal systems, cultural nuances, and specific language and legalese, contract translations are a specialized area requiring skill and expertise.
To ensure both parties fully understand the terms of the contract and all legalities are upheld, here are a few common mistakes to avoid when translating an agreement that extends across cultures and borders.
Common Contract Translation Mistakes
- Failing to get legal expertise — For the translation of contracts, you should work with someone familiar with the laws of the country where the contract was originally written. In addition, the translation should convey the messaging of the original contract in its entirety to avoid inconsistencies that can result in further issues.
- Translating word for word — Contract translation is more than translating copy verbatim. When you translate word for word, the text will likely lose its initial meaning, negatively impacting the actual contract and its legalities. In addition, languages have different syntax and sentence structures, so when translating contracts, it’s essential to consider word order, phrases, and structures to avoid inconsistencies in messaging.
- Incorrect punctuation — Punctuation rules aren’t universal across languages, leading to confusion when translating contracts. Failure to properly include or omit punctuation can change the original messaging of the agreement. A proper translation requires intense attention to these critical fine points.
- Excluding key details — Contract information is a key component of a legal agreement. It includes specifics about the deal, the involved parties, and the consequences of failure to fulfill associated obligations. Excluding or incorrectly translating the slightest detail can completely change the contract.
How to Avoid These Pitfalls
Legal text is often difficult to understand in its own right, which can make contract translations a real challenge. Although the recipient should readily grasp the essential meaning of the translated contract, the legalese and nuance of the original document must also be carefully preserved in the translation. Contracts are too important to take chances with, so a properly qualified language-service provider must be engaged to translate them. In this way, businesses can avoid the costly mistakes that may result from the mistranslation of their legal documents.
TrueLanguage and our team of skilled experts understand the legal terminology, syntax, idioms, and cultural nuances necessary to translate contracts accurately. Additionally, we use some of the most innovative translation tools to ensure efficient and precise translation and localization. Contact us to learn how to get started.
