The work and activity-related experiences of the Hungarian National Office for Translations and Attestations
Abstract
The Hungarian National Office for Translations and Attestations 1B Hungary's largest and oldest state translation agency. Its forerunner was the Central Department for Translations, founded in 1869 functioning as an independent department under the control of the Prime Minister's Office. Its primary responsibility was to translate state laws, statutes and legal maxim a into the tongue of the minority groups living in the multilingual Hungary, as well as to render translations for public authorities, public bodies and for private citizens. Later the Department was attached to the Ministry of the Interior. In 1949 it was reorganized under the name of National Office for Translations and Attestations and was put under the supreme control of the Ministry of Justice. Owing to its past, the Office came to occupy an eminent position among the translation centres of other countries by making, significant contributions in she source of time, to the history of translation, to general cultural history and to public administration. Today the Office works as an independent agency and the scope of its function has remained essentially unchanged: it renders accredited and unaccredited translations for private persons and public bodies.
A quantitative shift into the direction of scientific and technical texts for customers, representing enterprises, plants and other economic organizations, scientific and research institutions, became characteristic of this agency. Only this organ is invested with the right to render accredited translations whereby it is authorized to translate legal texts and documents. In the year of 1973, the National Office translated more than 900 000 pages, a third of which were translations from the Hungarian into foreign languages. 87% of the total translations rendered was into English, French, German and Russian. The staff is made up of professional personnel, translators, editors, complemented at times by external collaborators employed occasionally. Its staff numbers over 2000. Difficulties impeding the National Office's work are: the problem of professional manpower supply, the pressing deadlines, quality control of its work, and the inadequate funds resulting in the low wages of staff members. But despite the above difficulties, the Office actively participates in the development of translations of special Hungarian texts, and maintains close ties with domestic and foreign translation concern agencies. The Office also carries out research and collecting work in the fields of lexicography and terminology, and has already built up an considerable library.
The National Office for Translations and Attestations will commemorate the 25th anniversary of its socialist reorganization in the near future.
