Translation is a professional activity that does not exist alone as a work of cross-language correspondence in a purely theoretical or contrastive field. It is, in fact, is an incredibly dynamic activity that is in constant contact with other professional activities that it serves. In other words, one might say that translation exists because of the needs that arise in other sectors and its importance lies not only in the localization process with regard to translation decisions and quality assurance, but that translated products have a life after their delivery and, in practical terms, this is their ultimate purpose and the state in which they will last the longest. We are, after all, providing translations for specific purposes and these purposes may be relevant for a longer or shorter period of time. Nevertheless, emphasis is always placed on the fact that true translation quality assurance is effective in its scope of application, achieves an effect on its target audience that is similar to its effect on the original audience and, most importantly, reproduces the objective information of said original content with the utmost rigor.
Sometimes these aspects must not only be backed by the validation of a translation agency or the declaration of a professional freelancer, but a seal or a certificate must be provided with the translation, certifying that it was produced by a person with a specific skill set who has obtained an official title that enables said translation to be admitted in various legal or administrative processes. In this sense, the language services industry relies on the figure of the sworn translator, who is a government-recognized certified translator whose handwritten or electronic signature attests to the optimal quality of a translation and enables it to be used in official procedures. This qualification functions in a similar way in different countries, but it is not always obtained by the same means. In some cases, a series of exams related to translation, interpretation or both must be passed and, in others, it can be obtained by studying a number of specific subjects at the university level, for example.
Sworn translation is a service that, in economic terms and as is well known in the sector, entails a higher cost for all language players involved. This is mainly due to the fact that the responsibilities taken on by the translator of a sworn translation are much greater than those that may arise from an ordinary translation or, rather, a translation that does not have the distinction of being specifically accredited by a translator who is recognized by the government. Likewise, sworn translations are often used in areas where mistakes have much greater consequences, meaning that quality assurance processes must be more thorough, thereby often increasing costs. But what are the real consequences of making mistakes in sworn translations? What responsibilities does the sworn translator face when they have submitted a flawed translation?
The most direct consequences of a poor sworn translation involve requesting the sworn translation again, either from the same translator and demanding increased quality controls, or from a new professional. This is because the flawed translation cannot be used either due to the fact that the content does not truly reflect the source text or because the existence of certain mistakes makes the accuracy of the rest of the content doubtful. Thus, it is common for the sworn translation to be returned to the same translator so that it can be revised and corrected again at zero cost. Alternatively, in the case that the translation is completely useless, it is assigned to a new provider and, depending on the contractual relationship, one party or the other will bear the costs of this new task. Unfortunately, these processes complicate and lengthen the time of the task in question, which can lead to additional setbacks, both within the economic sphere and outside it.
The assignment of a sworn translation also entails contracting a service, such that, as with any type of contract, any loss or damage caused by action or omission or by fault or negligence must be corrected by the party that caused it. In this sense, a mistake in a sworn translation falls within these scenarios, meaning that the translator could be committing a civil liability offence that, depending on the circumstances, would lead to higher or lower compensation, to which any damage to the image of the translator or contracted agency is added.
And, even more seriously, these consequences would be more severe when the mistake is not the result of negligence, but is deliberately made to modify the information of a legal, economic or administrative document, a situation that is punished with up to two years in prison, a fine and, of course, disqualification from practicing the profession for a period of six to twelve years.
For this reason, it is essential to be properly informed when hiring sworn translation services and to have the professional advice of verified sworn translators or agencies that offer this type of service with quality guarantees. In the translation industry, investing in quality is investing in safety and success.
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