Buzz words

An apostille is a simplified form of certifying international authenticated documents and is valid in countries which are party to the Apostille Convention. It confirms that the signature on the certificate is genuine, it states in what capacity the person was acting and, if available, it confirms that the stamps and seals on the document are genuine.

Authentication is a process of authenticating or certifying a legal document by the Foreign Office or consular representation of the foreign country where the document is to be used. It confirms that the signature on the document is genuine, states in what capacity the person was acting, as well as confirming that the stamps and seals used on the document are genuine. Authentication of a document gives the document the same authenticity in the receiving country as it has in the country where it was issued. The process is simplified in countries which are parties to the Apostille Convention. For further details, please see Apostille.

CAT stands for computer aided translation. CAT Tools separate the text into individual segments. The translation and the source text of each segment together make up a translation unit (TU). These are stored in a database (TM translation memory) and available for future translations. The CAT Tool identifies segments that are similar to segments already translated, thus simplifying the translation process and ensuring consistency. CAT Tools usually also have functionalities to manage terminology.

When appointed and sworn translators complete a certified translation they confirm that the translation is complete and correct and that any uncertainties in the translation have been indicated accordingly. The translation thus becomes a certification. The certified translation comprises an endorsement by the translator, the stamp and signature.

May also be referred to as sworn and publicly appointed translators and interpreters in Germany.

May also be refered to as Whispering technique. The interpreter whispers the interpretation in a person's ear, or, it may be necessary to use a so-called whispering unit if several people require the service.

Means one after another. Firstly, a speaker will talk in his language and the interpreter will then repeat what has been said in another language. One example of using this method is at dinner speeches. Please remember that the speaker needs twice as long!

Attention needs to be paid to terminology in order for texts to be consistent, i.e. ensuring the same term is used for a certain subject or article in the target text. On the other hand, consistency also refers to entire sentences or phrases that should be translated in the same way in order to improve readability. Consistency amongst multiple documents dealing with the same topic is also of utmost importance (e.g. various briefs on one topic). It is indispensable that the translation of one and the same legal concept is exactly the same in all documents. If this is not the case, comprehension would very much be impeded.

The German DIN 2345 for "translation contracts" was replaced in 2006 by DIN EN 15038 for "translation services" which is valid in 29 countries. The new standard concentrates more on the translation process than on the actual translation. One central requirement of the standard is the "four-eyes principle", an editorial principal according to which texts are proofread by a "second set of eyes".

A sound-proof cabin for interpreters that removes any background noise except the words being spoken by the speaker. It also prevents other listeners or the speaker from being distracted by the interpreter. The cabin has a microphone for the interpreter, and the interpreter's words are transmitted to headphones worn by the audience.

Interpreting is the transmission of the spoken word from one language to another.

Translations of documents issued in Germany that are to be used abroad might require legalisation for official acceptance. It is an additional endorsement that relates to the signature. Depending on the requirements of the institutions where the certificate is to be submitted, the endorsement can relate to the signature on the certificate or the signature of the sworn translator. A legalisation can take the form of either an apostille (in countries which are party to the Apostille Convention) or a legalisation endorsement either by a court or the authority that issued the document or the Foreign Office or consular representation of the foreign country where the document is to be used. Please consult with the recipient authority which form of legalised document is necessary before placing an order with discover legal.

Negotiations are usually interpreted using consecutive interpreting. The interpreter often interprets both languages. If only one person is not able to speak the general language, the negotiation could be interpreted for that person using the whispering technique.

Describes the proofreading process by a second qualified person. The so-called "four-eyes principle" increases the quality of the translation product immensely and is essential to the quality of legal translations. In the ideal case, the proofreader's native language is the language of the source text, whilst the translator's native language is the target text language.

The purpose of swearing-in and public appointment is to make available particularly trustworthy authorised experts to the courts, authorities and public in Germany. Interpreters and translators are authorised experts and are only sworn-in and publicly appointed when they have demonstrated their specialist knowledge.  A publicly appointed sworn translator  is permitted to use a stamp and to issue certified translations.

Means concurrent or at the same time. The interpreter listens to what is being said and interprets in real-time, either using interpreting equipment or by whispering in the client's ear. This method of interpreting is especially used at conferences.

Translations in Germany are usually invoiced according to standard lines. A standard line has 55 characters including spaces. A standard line can be calculated in the source language or the target language.

Super-legalisation is a process of authenticating or certifying a legal document by the Foreign Office or consular representation of the foreign country where the document is to be used. It confirms that the signature on the document is genuine, states in what capacity the person was acting, as well as confirming that the stamps and seals used on the document are genuine. Super-legalisation of a document gives the document the same authenticity in the receiving country as it has in the country where it was issued. The process is simplified in countries which are parties to the Apostille Convention. For further details, please see Apostille.

In Germany, sworn interpreters and translators who have been appointed by the court or the relevant ministry have sworn on oath that they will faithfully and conscientiously carry out their job as an interpreter and/or translator for the applicable language, and that they will explicitly indicate when they are not sure about the correctness of the translation. Translators and interpreters are only sworn-in and publicly appointed once they have proven they have the necessary expertise. They are permitted to issue certified translations and need no additional authorisation to work at court or in notaries.

Terminology describes the technical terms used in a specialist area, an industry or in a company. Observing, appropriate use and management of a customer's terminology are crucial quality criteria for translations.

Translation means to transfer the written word from one language to another. Commonly used for both the spoken word (interpreting) and the written word (translation). Also known as language mediation.

A Translation Memory (TM) is a database of translations that have already been finished. This database can be used for future translations within the CAT tool. Suitable phrases are suggested to the translator when the database finds similar translations to a certain degree in the database. The translator may decide whether to use the suggestions or not. TMs are a great help to maintain consistency within all translations for one customer.

A whispering unit is portable, wireless and consists of a microphone for the interpreter and headphones for the listeners. It enables, for example, guided tours at company sites and trade fairs to be interpreted simultaneously whilst the actual speaker is talking. This allows some listeners to listen directly to the speaker whilst others use the headphones to listen to the interpreter.