The new edition of Kirchner’s book on German legal abbreviations seems to have appeared now – at least, the publisher says it appeared in April. The hardback and paperback editions now have the same content. Lehmanns Fachbuchhandlung will deliver it free of charge in Germany.
While I’m at it, there’s also a book on Austrian legal abbreviations: Friedl / Loebenstein, Abkürzungs- und Zitierregeln der österreischischen Rechtssprache und europarechtlicher Rechtsquellen, 5th ed. 2001, ISBN 3 214 06205 0

The new edition of Kirchner’s book on German legal abbreviations seems to have appeared now – at least, the publisher says it appeared in April. The hardback and paperback editions now have the same content. Lehmanns Fachbuchhandlung will deliver it free of charge in Germany.
While I’m at it, there’s also a book on Austrian legal abbreviations: Friedl / Loebenstein, Abkürzungs- und Zitierregeln der österreischischen Rechtssprache und europarechtlicher Rechtsquellen, 5th ed. 2001, ISBN 3 214 06205 0

Following the entries on notaries, I should repeat and slightly enlarge what I wrote about commissioners for oaths, the nearest equivalent in England and Wales to a notary public in the U.S.A. Solicitors automatically become commissioners for oaths when they qualify. In the firm where I was articled, the newest solicitors were allowed to do the witnessing of oaths. I think the charge may have been £5 per document plus £1 for each extra page – all had to be stamped and initialled.

Here is a brief note on commissioners for oaths by a firm of Solicitors and Notaries. Continue reading →

Following the entries on notaries, I should repeat and slightly enlarge what I wrote about commissioners for oaths, the nearest equivalent in England and Wales to a notary public in the U.S.A. Solicitors automatically become commissioners for oaths when they qualify. In the firm where I was articled, the newest solicitors were allowed to do the witnessing of oaths. I think the charge may have been £5 per document plus £1 for each extra page – all had to be stamped and initialled.

Here is a brief note on commissioners for oaths by a firm of Solicitors and Notaries. Continue reading →

On the partnertrans mailing list, a Yahoo group, there was mention of a site at Erlangen University where suggestions for translating Abitur certificates into English, and to a lesser extent into French, can be downloaded. As this is my nearest university, I am curious as to who prepared these materials.
There is scarcely anything I would change in the Abiturzeugnis itself. One problem is the grades: sehr gut, gut, befriedigend, ausreichend, mangelhaft, ungenügend are rendered as very good, good, satisfactory, sufficient, deficient, insufficientFor the last three, I usually use adequate, poor (fail) and very poor (fail). I think at least the last two need to be distinguished more clearly, but insufficient and very insufficient would be a bit wordy. Continue reading →

On the partnertrans mailing list, a Yahoo group, there was mention of a site at Erlangen University where suggestions for translating Abitur certificates into English, and to a lesser extent into French, can be downloaded. As this is my nearest university, I am curious as to who prepared these materials.
There is scarcely anything I would change in the Abiturzeugnis itself. One problem is the grades: sehr gut, gut, befriedigend, ausreichend, mangelhaft, ungenügend are rendered as very good, good, satisfactory, sufficient, deficient, insufficientFor the last three, I usually use adequate, poor (fail) and very poor (fail). I think at least the last two need to be distinguished more clearly, but insufficient and very insufficient would be a bit wordy. Continue reading →