Translation of Various Certificates

With the deepening globalization of today's world, communication and cooperation between domestic and international entities have become increasingly frequent. More and more people are choosing to study abroad, work, or immigrate. However, Chinese certificates are valid and legal within China but are often difficult to recognize abroad. At this point, certificate translation can play a crucial role as a medium for communication and exchange, making these documents applicable in foreign contexts. Driven by the trend of internationalization, the demand for certificate translation has significantly increased, requiring translators to master the characteristics, types, and translation techniques specific to such texts.

The translation of certificate-related texts falls under the category of legal text translation, which includes birth certificates, diplomas, driver's licenses, marriage certificates, and notarized documents, among others. Legal texts refer to writings that carry legal significance and are characterized by objective and factual language, devoid of personal emotions. Instead, they adhere to formatting principles and use conventional language habits to ensure the maximum validity of the documents. The language of legal certificate texts possesses three main characteristics: first, logicality—such texts are clear and accurate in their logic, with coherent and straightforward language; second, factuality—legal texts are based on reality, being truthful and not providing false information; third, normativity—different types of certificate texts must follow specific requirements and norms, and many procedural phrases cannot be arbitrarily altered.

Based on these three characteristics, translators should adopt a cautious translation strategy when translating legal certificate texts, aiming to maintain consistency with the original in terms of semantics and sentence structure while avoiding alienation. Firstly, certificate texts contain a significant number of specialized and formal fixed terms and phrases, such as "Household Register" (户口本), "Property Ownership Certificate" (房产证), and "ISS (Issued)" (发证日期). While English terms like "legacy," "estate," and "inheritance" all correspond to the Chinese word "遗产," each has distinct meanings: "legacy" refers to movable property within an inheritance, "estate" denotes all assets left by a deceased person that have yet to be inherited, and "inheritance" indicates property that has already been inherited by an individual. Certificate translation requires not only strong language conversion abilities from the translator but also a good grasp of the relevant linguistic knowledge pertaining to a specific certificate field. Secondly, the language format of certificate texts is rigorous and standard, where information cannot be lost, wording altered, or structure adjusted, especially not changing parts of standardized phrasing. For instance, "This is to certify that..." is commonly used at the beginning of diplomas and degree certificates and corresponds to the Chinese phrase "兹证明……".

Certificate translation affects the client's vital interests, and a small oversight during the translation process can lead to significant errors. To ensure the quality of translation services, translators should maintain a meticulous and responsible attitude, carefully reviewing the accuracy and fluency of the translated text, ensuring that the layout of the translation aligns with the original, and avoiding any discrepancies that may cause unnecessary trouble for the client.

◀️：Translation Certification and Translation Notarization

▶️：The Issue of Collocation in Translation