# Characteristics of the Legal Translation

> Legal translation necessitates the skills of highly skilled individuals with a thorough understanding of legal terminology and practices. It is a complex…

- URL: https://www.translationcenter.ae/2023/09/05/characteristics-of-the-legal-translation/
- Language: English
- Arabic version: https://www.translationcenter.ae/2023/09/05/%d9%85%d8%a7-%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%b2-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d8%b1%d8%ac%d9%85%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%88%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%a9/
- Published: 2023-09-05
- Updated: 2023-09-09
- Publisher: Translation Center (مركز الترجمة), Dubai — +971 4 263 1133 — info@translationcenter.ae

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Characteristics of the Legal Translation

Legal translation necessitates the skills of highly skilled individuals with a thorough understanding of legal terminology and practices. It is a complex process requiring exact and precise translation, making it one of the most difficult types of translation. Birth certificates, application letters, technical patent confirmations, deposition records, financial accounts, proof documents, litigation materials, and company contracts are all examples of documents that require legal translation. Translators should be knowledgeable not just with legal language, but also with statutory requirements and the complexity of foreign legal and cultural systems.

Legal documents in foreign languages are extremely difficult to translate when compared to other technical translations. The difficulty originates from the fact that each country has its own legal vocabulary and system, even though they speak the same language. A legal translator must have three main skills: mastery of the target language’s writing style, familiarity with necessary terminology, and a general awareness of the two target languages’ legal systems. When dealing with legal documents, literal word-for-word translation is not admissible.

Professional legal translators must therefore assume the hats of a detective, legal expert, and linguist. Even in situations where an exact translation is not possible, extensive investigation is necessary to decipher the original information accurately and transmit its intended meaning without any deviation.

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