An instrument for assessing the quality of local government translations

An instrument for assessing the quality of local government translations has been sorely needed within LOGTIS, a local government translation and interpreting service which has been instituted in several Free State municipalities. Texts have had to be translated on a regular basis, without any means of assessing the quality of the translations. This article describes the development of an instrument to assess a translation that differs from its source text in form, function and purpose. The instrument incorporates textual and translation principles at all levels of language and can also serve as a checklist for the writing of local government texts.