Certificate Translations
What You Need to Remember

So what are certificate translations? They usually include translating various public documents that are needed for government agencies in order to provide some sort of service to the person in question. This includes documents like wedding certificates, certified birth certificates, death certificates, student transcripts, etc. There are a ton of other types out there, but these are some of the most commonly-requested documents to be translated.

While translating certificates is a relatively common occurrence, it is still important that translators understand that certificates can present their own types of problems and issues to translators. As translators, we need to be aware of some of these potential pitfalls because even a slight mistranslation on any of these documents can cause big problems for the client.

The first thing to remember about translation of certificates is that many of these use specific phrasing, and it's important to preserve this specialized phrasing in the target language document. For example, take a look at a marriage certificate (in either Spanish or English, it doesn't matter) and you'll notice that the language is almost foreign in how it's written. You'll want to do your best to retain that type of language when translating. The good thing about this, though, is that there are certain phrases that are used over and over again with these certificates and you can find these easily online.

Another issue to be aware of when translating school transcripts, for example, is that there are differences between schools in the U.S. and those in Latin America. Grades are calculated differently and it's important to translate them correctly, not just linguistically, but also translate them to the different system used so that the correct grades are represented to college officials. You don't want to guess on this and mess up.

Finally, certificate translations involve more than just translating; this is where your desktop publishing and graphic skills will come into play. Most people that need transcripts and certificates translated also need the target documents to look as similar as possible to the source documents, so just translating the text isn't going to cut it most of the time.

The bad thing is that this can sometimes be a big pain in trying to match up formatting and images. However, this does get easier with time. The first time I did a diploma translation, I spent a considerable time trying to recreate the transcript from Peru in an English-language version. However, the second time I did a transcript, I was able to do it in half the time because I was better at using my graphics tools on my computer. The good thing about translating certificates is that you'll be able to count the cost of the graphic work along with the actual translation, and charge the client accordingly.

Pricing Certificate Translations
And speaking of charging a client for translating certificates, since it usually involves more than just translating, it usually costs more than regular translations. Prices include the desktop publishing, and can even include mailing costs to send the translation back to the client. Usually in my translation work I charge by the word, as do the majority of translators; however, with certificate translations, I charge by the hour. The reason is because in addition to the translation, I also should get paid for "translating" the design and layout of the target document.

Another cost that will be added to these translations is the cost for these translations to be certified and/or notarized. Some translators and translation agencies will charge even more for this added service.

What does "certification" mean?
The term "certification" in this sense is a slight misnomer because in the United States at least, there is no national governing body that regulates the translation business or offers official translations.

Instead, certification for the above-mentioned documents entails the person doing the translation adding a signed statement to the translation stating that the translator is knowledgeable in both languages and that the translation is done correctly.

Any translator can add that kind of statement to the translation so don't get confused by people telling you that you have to have a "certified translator" do the translation. Remember, though, that this is how it works in the United States and it is different in other countries. However, notarization has to be done by an official notary public and is something you usually have to pay for.

Translating your own certificates
If you are thinking of translating your own certificate, you'll need to make sure that the organization requesting the translated copy doesn't have a clause stating that the translation must not be done by an interested party in the translation. If they do, you'll have to find an outside translator and won't be able to certify it yourself.

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