McCann translation errors / Übersetzungsfehler bei McCanns

The Telegraph reports that there were probably translation errors that may account for discrepancies in the statements of the ‘Tapas Nine’.

“In the early days of the investigation there were dozens of statements being given at what was a very confusing time,” a police source said.

“Obviously the police acted in good faith in their selection of translators but given all that has been said about the various contradictions in the versions of events, detectives are now re-examining the possibility that there may have been some problems,” he said.

Apparently Robert Murat was one of the translators as well as a suspect (although it seems that, under Portuguese law, making someone a suspect does not necessarily mean the person is suspected of involvement in a crime).

Detectives are now said to be questioning the decision to use Robert Murat, 33, as an official police translator in the first crucial week after Madeleine disappeared.

The British ex-pat, who is bilingual, was made an arguido – or formal suspect – on May 14.

(I don’t wish to defend the McCanns, nor to imply that enough money will ever be put into court interpreting and translation to ensure that every case gets good translation)

Thanks to Derek at flefo.

2 thoughts on “McCann translation errors / Übersetzungsfehler bei McCanns

    • It’s really impossible to tell from that newspaper article. I’m sure newspapers get these things confused anyway. They say that Robert Murat was made an official police translator (they may mean ‘interpreter’) and swore an oath. But actually, certified translators are not that common everywhere. Certified interpreters are more common. Nor do I think the arrangements for becoming a certified translator in German L

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