Documents may contradict themselves: a date may be written differently in two places, a sum in figures may not agree with the sum in words, one article may run counter to another. One of the clearest limits a translator meets lies here. A contradiction is not resolved by translation; it is made visible.
Ban on correction
Removing a contradiction in the translation means presenting a state that is not in the document, and it falsifies the document. Producing a text that looks right is not the same as making a right translation. This limit is absolute.
Contradiction between figures and words
Sums stated differently in figures and in words are the most common contradiction. Both forms are carried over as they stand and the situation is reported. Which of them is valid is a legal question.
Date contradictions
A document may give different dates for the same event, and these sit in different fields. The dates are carried over separately and the difference is noted. The translation does not decide which date is to prevail.
Trade name contradictions
The trade name on the letterhead (antet) and the one in the signature block may differ, and this may point to a branch office relationship. Both spellings are kept. The observation is shared.
Number contradictions
The number of the same party may have been written differently in two places in the document. This may be a typing error or it may be a change of party. Both numbers are carried over and the situation is reported.
Contradictions between articles
Two articles of a contract may run counter to each other, and this contradiction makes the provision uncertain. The articles are translated as they stand. No interpretation is made.
Precedence provisions
Well-drafted contracts determine within themselves which text takes precedence in the event of a contradiction. This provision is translated with care, because the document itself provides the solution. The provision is not skipped.
Contradiction between main text and annex
The information in the annexes may contradict the main text, and this difference lends itself to being overlooked. The annexes are compared with the main text. The contradiction is entered in the list.
Tables whose totals do not add up
The total row in a table may not give the sum of the items below it. In translation the total is not recalculated, and the value in the document is carried over. The difference is reported as an observation.
Language contradictions
In bilingual documents there may be a difference of meaning between the two texts. Which language prevails is generally written in the document. This provision is decisive.
Contradiction between versions
If more than one version is at hand, the differences between them may look like contradictions. Which version is translated is fixed. The other versions remain out of scope.
How a contradiction is reported
Contradictions are noted with a single uniform phrase and gathered in a separate list. The list enables the client to decide. The report contains no judgement.
Timing of the report
Serious contradictions are reported the moment they are noticed, without waiting for delivery. An early report gives the client the chance to make a correction. A late report delays the procedure.
Correction by the client
When the client corrects the document, work proceeds on the new version and the previous work is reviewed. This affects the scope and the turnaround. The change is put on record in writing.
Contradictions left uncorrected
The client may choose to go ahead without correcting the contradiction, and that is the client's decision. The translation is made as the document stands and the situation appears in the delivery note. The record later serves as a basis.
Limits of liability
Consequences arising from a contradiction are outside the scope of the translation service, and this limit is defined in the contract. Responsibility is discharged as long as the duty to report has been fulfilled. The limit is explained at the start of the job.
Delivery check
Before delivery the list of contradictions is reviewed in its final form and attached to the delivery letter. A contradiction that was not reported may later be taken for a translation error. The check is not skipped.