Question for our German native translators about capital letters

[ludy_f]

If in the source of a legal text to be translated, you bump into words written with a capital letter, and need to translate them into German, while retaining that capital letter, how do you proceed?

I mean, in the source text, these words are capitalized to distinguish them from others.

For example: The Customer will sign the Contract to receive the Goods.

In German the words Kunde, Kontrakt and Güter are always written with capitals: Der Kunde unterzeichnet den Kontrakt um die Güter zu erhalten.

How would you translate this?

Another example: Terms written with a capital letter in this Contract shall, insofar as the context allows this, have the following meaning.

How would you translate this phrase?

Many thanks for your input!

[petra_r]

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@Ludy F wrote:

If in the source of a legal text to be translated, you bump into words written with a capital letter, and need to translate them into German, while retaining that capital letter, how do you proceed?

I mean, in the source text, these words are capitalized to distinguish them from others.

For example: The Customer will sign the Contract to receive the Goods.

In German the words Kunde, Kontrakt and Güter are always written with capitals: Der Kunde unterzeichnet den Kontrakt um die Güter zu erhalten.

How would you translate this?

Another example: Terms written with a capital letter in this Contract shall, insofar as the context allows this, have the following meaning.

How would you translate this phrase?

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 That creates a slight issue which you'll have to bring up with the client, maybe something else can be used.

I'd probably never use "Kontrakt" by the way. It's a "Vertrag."

In general I would gently question the wisdom of translating legal text into a non-native language.

[ludy_f]

Vielen Dank, Petra.

I'm not the one translating the text, so no need to doubt this client's wisdom. Plus, I know an excellent English & Dutch to German translator. If any unwise clients ask me to translate into German, I always direct them to that better translator.
The "Kontrakt" was only meant as an example, so the suggestion to replace it by "Vertrag" is well-intended, but not needed. I wasn't asking about that.
There's nothing wrong with asking the client, but I'd just hoped to hear a more creative suggestion.
Thanks nonetheless!

[petra_r]

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@Ludy F wrote:

There's nothing wrong with asking the client, but I'd just hoped to hear a more creative suggestion.

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 It is a contract translation! You can get "creative" with all sorts, but not with legal translations as you'd be altering a legal document.

That sure as hell should not be done without asking the client HOW to alter said legal document.

Any other suggestion would involve actually changing something.

[jr-translation]

One way to solve the problem is to use small capitals, but some clients prefer italics or semi-bold letters. Depending on what solution has been used you change the definition in the sentence below.

Terms written with a capital letter in this Contract shall, insofar as the context allows this, have the following meaning.

[ludy_f]

The solution to the problem seems to me a combination of both answers.

I'll tell my friend to contact his client, and to suggest using a different font style for the specific terms.

Many thanks to you both!