| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Poll: As a sworn translator, have you ever been asked to stamp translations made by others? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Parrot wrote:
Sworn translations are used in documents passing through diplomatic channels. That's why consulates can do the equivalent certification. The Spanish office certifying translators is under Foreign Affairs. It's actually not a court requirement for criminal cases at present.
[Edited at 2016-03-23 10:37 GMT]
In Spain, sworn translations are required if you are dealing with the Administration our Courts. It is also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who delivers the diploma.
| | | | | AFAIK, not allowed | Mar 23, 2016 |
I'm a certified translator in the Cdn system, which I think is roughly equivalent. My stamp means that the translation was * done by me *, a translator certified in that language combination, and that it has been done to the best of my ability (adheres to the code of ethics that is also represented by the stamp). I cannot stamp someone else's translation, because it was not done by me.
What I can do is proofread and correct a translation, making it mine, thus producing a new trans... See more I'm a certified translator in the Cdn system, which I think is roughly equivalent. My stamp means that the translation was * done by me *, a translator certified in that language combination, and that it has been done to the best of my ability (adheres to the code of ethics that is also represented by the stamp). I cannot stamp someone else's translation, because it was not done by me.
What I can do is proofread and correct a translation, making it mine, thus producing a new translation.
I get this request most often by bilingual end clients wanting to save money. They will produce their own translation and hope they can pay me $5.00 or so to stick a stamp on it. Quite often those translations will be faulty as well.
On a very few occasions I have reviewed a translation and created a statement that to the best of my knowledge that translation is accurate etc., and I have added a stamp to my statement (again, done by me).
A translator who is not certified ("=" sworn) can go to a notary public to have her translation notarized, by stating before the notary that she is qualified, to the best of her knowledge, etc. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas 
Brazil
Local time: 21:41
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| I've been a victim many times | Mar 23, 2016 |
I'm not a sworn translator, but I know for sure many translations I did were stamped by a sworn translator before. I mean, the client paid me for a regular translation, then paid the sworn translator a certain fee to stamp it and sign it. Although it's a crime, I know this happens around here and is not very rare. And I doubt very much anyone has ever been caught or punished for that.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 21:41
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Sworn translators - only where they exist | Mar 23, 2016 |
I can see by the posts below that many people do not realize what is in fact a sworn translator. When you take a translation to a notary or attorney to stamp, this is not a sworn translation.
A sworn translator is selected and certified by the State to work as such. There are only a few of them in every state, and the classifying contest usually occurs at every 20 years or something like that. It's very hard to become one.
Now, in countries where there are no sworn tra... See more I can see by the posts below that many people do not realize what is in fact a sworn translator. When you take a translation to a notary or attorney to stamp, this is not a sworn translation.
A sworn translator is selected and certified by the State to work as such. There are only a few of them in every state, and the classifying contest usually occurs at every 20 years or something like that. It's very hard to become one.
Now, in countries where there are no sworn translators, you can go to a notary office and get your "stamp", but that won't be accepted in most countries where sworn translations are required.
So, when a sworn translator stamps a translation done by someone else, they are committiing a crime and throwing their ethics in the garbage can. But money talks.
[Edited at 2016-03-23 13:08 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 20:41
Spanish to English
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| As an ATA-Certified translator, yes... | Mar 23, 2016 |
"Sworn translators" seem to be more of a European than a US phenomenon.
I can say, though, that I have been asked to review a translation created by someone else, and then affix my signature to the translation under a statement indicating that I myself had done the translation. Presumably, this subterfuge was devised by agencies that wanted to save money by having the translation done by someone who was not ATA Certified when such certification was the requirement for the translatio... See more "Sworn translators" seem to be more of a European than a US phenomenon.
I can say, though, that I have been asked to review a translation created by someone else, and then affix my signature to the translation under a statement indicating that I myself had done the translation. Presumably, this subterfuge was devised by agencies that wanted to save money by having the translation done by someone who was not ATA Certified when such certification was the requirement for the translation in question.
I have to say that I find such requests ethically unacceptable. ▲ Collapse
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What I can do is proofread and correct a translation, making it mine, thus producing a new translation.
Yes, that's the main point.
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Mario Freitas wrote:
I'm not a sworn translator, but I know for sure many translations I did were stamped by a sworn translator before. I mean, the client paid me for a regular translation, then paid the sworn translator a certain fee to stamp it and sign it. Although it's a crime, I know this happens around here and is not very rare. And I doubt very much anyone has ever been caught or punished for that.
I'm sure a client of mine does this! But they ask me for a regular translation, so I do it, of course. Then they probably ask a sworn translator younger or with less experience (thus cheaper) to put the stamp. I don't do the opposite. It' a matter of ethics and fun (I have fun translating ).
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Robert Forstag wrote:
I have to say that I find such requests ethically unacceptable.
I have always had the same opinion.
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Thanks everybody for sharing your opinions.
Happy Semana Santa!
| | | | Petro Ebersöhn (X)
Local time: 02:41
| I'm not a sworn translator | Mar 23, 2016 |
... but I have been asked to put my signature to a document that somebody else edited. I didn't accept it.
| | | | | Perhaps there is call for another poll... | Mar 23, 2016 |
...with options such as these:
Do you think your non-sworn translations are being used to produce sworn translations?
Have you ever sworn a translation which was not your own translation?
A bit of anonymity might produce interesting results.
| | | | | The meaning of the stamp - authority vs authorship | Mar 23, 2016 |
As I understand it, the stamp means the sworn translator attests to the accuracy of the translation in relation to the source document, not that they have translated the document themselves.
I can see how it would be illegal and unethical for someone else to use my stamp on a translation I had not seen, or for me (a sworn translator) to stamp a translation without checking its accuracy, but I don't see any problem with certifying a translation I have not done myself, assuming I have... See more As I understand it, the stamp means the sworn translator attests to the accuracy of the translation in relation to the source document, not that they have translated the document themselves.
I can see how it would be illegal and unethical for someone else to use my stamp on a translation I had not seen, or for me (a sworn translator) to stamp a translation without checking its accuracy, but I don't see any problem with certifying a translation I have not done myself, assuming I have indeed verified the accuracy of the translation.
And if someone takes an uncertified translation of mine and has someone else certify it after checking, I don't have a problem with that either. It doesn't seem any different to having a reviewer who then "signs off" on your work. It is up to the person whose name is on the stamp to make sure they are acting responsibly.
Of course, some clients just want you to "stamp" an existing translation on the assumption that this is a quick and simple task, which of course depends entirely on the quality of the translation. Even a good translation needs to be re-presented in an appropriate format and there is rarely nothing that needs to be changed. But theoretically, I could look over a translation, change nothing if nothing needs changing, and stamp it. It's not my translation but I am certifying its accuracy.
Just as when certifying a copy of an original, the stamp is about establishing a relationship between two documents, not about who produced the documents.
Melissa ▲ Collapse
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Melissa McMahon wrote:
As I understand it, the stamp means the sworn translator attests to the accuracy of the translation in relation to the source document, not that they have translated the document themselves.
I can see how it would be illegal and unethical for someone else to use my stamp on a translation I had not seen, or for me (a sworn translator) to stamp a translation without checking its accuracy, but I don't see any problem with certifying a translation I have not done myself, assuming I have indeed verified the accuracy of the translation.
I guess we each have to check with the organizations of our countries. I had always assumed that a stamp meant that the stamp referred to the person who had done the translation as well as to the translation itself, but now I think I'll double check on it.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 21:41
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Susana E. Cano Méndez wrote: Mario Freitas wrote:
I'm not a sworn translator, but I know for sure many translations I did were stamped by a sworn translator before. I mean, the client paid me for a regular translation, then paid the sworn translator a certain fee to stamp it and sign it. Although it's a crime, I know this happens around here and is not very rare. And I doubt very much anyone has ever been caught or punished for that. I'm sure a client of mine does this! But they ask me for a regular translation, so I do it, of course. Then they probably ask a sworn translator younger or with less experience (thus cheaper) to put the stamp. I don't do the opposite. It' a matter of ethics and fun (I have fun translating ).
Same here. Not only I have fun translatin, but I'm being hired for a regular translation, and paid my regular fee. So I deliver the service, and whatever is done with the document after that is none of my business. When I find out about it (if I do), I simply ignore it. I'm not an accessory to the "crime" anyhow.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 21:41
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
[Edited at 2016-03-24 06:36 GMT]
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