The Legal Ramifications of Interpreting and Translating

• Publication year: 2020
• Author: By Barry Schreiber, Esq.

The Legal Ramifications of Interpreting and Translating

By Barry Schreiber, Esq.

Barry Schreiber is the California based partner of the Israel law firm, https://www.ogblaw.co.il/home. Barry is also the Marketing and Networking Director for Allied interpreting and translating services. www.alliedinterpreting.com Barry has practiced law for over 49 years, licensed in Florida-1971, Israel-1997.

In this article, we'll bring to light the awareness of an area in the practice of law that we, as lawyers, may have overlooked or taken for granted. Upon reading this article, you will obtain a greater understanding of those who speak languages other than English and how culture expresses in language, the uniqueness of the speaker and their knowledge of the world, as it relates to the practice of law. The information can be used in various ways: from the office to meetings and sharing life with others, whose mother tongue is not English.

Imagine yourself waking up one day, stepping out of your home, eager to start the day. You walk to the corner café to grab your morning cup of Joe, and not one word you say is understood. Flustered, you try your best to order, your hands gesturing, even animating an invisible cup to your lips. There in front of you stands the server with an expression of confusion. Then suddenly you realize, you're in another country on a business trip and you're ordering in your mother tongue. You shake your head embarrassed at your mistake, wishing you had an interpreter so that you can have that cup of Joe you so desperately wanted.

We take language for granted, only noticing when we travel abroad as to how paramount it is to our survival. It is how we communicate, connect, adapt, and, most importantly, how we evolve. We live in a diverse, multicultural world where the above example is someone's everyday life.

Let's start by differentiating translations vs. interpretations. Translators typically deal with the written word, while interpreters deal with oral communications. It is important to note that professionals in the field can do translations, as well as interpretations. Commonalities of both are conversions of one language to another. Although, those in the profession have very different skill sets. In the practice of law, you can think of translators as transactional, the written word, and interpreters as transactional and litigation, the spoken word.

Translators pay attention to detail and have extensive knowledge of the use of words in the...