An Italian interpreter is most often needed when working with civil status records, educational documents and consular procedures. Italian is official in Italy, San Marino, part of Switzerland and the Vatican.
Working with an Italian document raises several specific issues: the structure of the tax code, correctly identifying the type of extract and - in the case of historical documents - the fact that the text may not be in Italian at all.
The codice fiscale and its structure
In Italian documents, a person is identified by the tax code, which consists of sixteen characters and combines letters and digits.
This code is not random: it is calculated from three letters of the surname, three letters of the first name, five characters indicating the year, month and day of birth and the sex, the code of the place of birth and a check letter.
The practical consequence is that the code is directly linked to the name and birth details. If a name or date in the document is wrong, this shows up as an inconsistency with the code.
In the translation the code is carried over character by character. Decoding or checking it is not the task of the translation, but if we notice an obvious inconsistency, we point it out in advance.
Civil status records at the level of the comune
In Italy, civil registration takes place at the level of the municipality - the comune. This means that the document is issued not by a central body but by the administration of a particular town or village.
The practical consequence is that the form, the appearance of the stamp and individual wordings differ from one comune to another. Two documents of the same type may look different.
The Italian civil register issues extracts of differing completeness. An abridged extract contains the main facts, while a full copy contains the entire text of the record and later notes - on marriage, divorce or a change of surname.
A separate document is the certificate of family composition, which shows the persons registered at one address. It does not directly prove a family relationship, although it is often requested precisely for that purpose. Before translating, we check which type you have.
Historical and church records
This is one of the most frequently overlooked issues with Italian documents. Old church registers - of baptism, church weddings and burials - were historically written in Latin, not in Italian.
That is why a document that is called Italian and comes from a church archive may in fact be in Latin. This directly affects how the translation is assessed.
Such entries are often handwritten, with abbreviations and handwriting typical of the period. Reading them is a separate task, and the volume is not measured by the length of the text alone.
That is why, when working with documents from the period before the civil register was established, we always ask for a photo in advance, before we discuss the turnaround time and the cost.
Names, accents and the apostrophe
Italian first names and surnames include an accent on the final vowel, which shows where the stress falls and is part of the word.
Surnames with an apostrophe are also common, where the apostrophe joins two elements. It is part of the spelling and must not be left out.
Double consonants also matter in Italian: words with a single and with a double consonant are different words. In surnames this is often decisive.
In automated systems the accent and the apostrophe are often lost, and as a result the same surname appears differently in different documents. In the translation the form of the original is kept.
Educational documents
In Italian educational documents, grading is usually on a thirty-point or a hundred-point scale, depending on the level.
Diplomas often state the overall result and an additional designation expressing special achievement. This designation is part of the document and is reflected in the translation.
The transcript of grades is in table form and shows how subjects, credits and grades correspond. In the translation the structure of the table is kept, so that the receiving party can link the data to one another.
Dates and numbers
In Italian documents the date is in day-month-year order, which matches Georgian practice. The month is often written out in words.
In numbers, the comma is used as the decimal separator, and thousands are separated by a full stop. This is the opposite of English notation and a frequent source of errors when amounts are transferred.
In historical documents the date is sometimes written out in words, in an elaborate wording. In the translation it is given in the usual form, keeping the content of the original.
Translation from Georgian into Italian
In the opposite direction, the main issue is how Georgian names are written in Latin letters.
If a Latin form already exists in the passport, that is the form used in the translation. Creating a new variant in Italian spelling creates an inconsistency.
The structure of Georgian civil status documents differs from the Italian one, so in the translation the order of the fields follows the original - so that the receiving party can compare it with the original.
The same principle applies to the names of Georgian institutions: the existing official foreign-language form is used and no new one is created.
Notarial documents and powers of attorney
An Italian notarial deed is a long and formalized document. It contains the notary's details, the full identification of the parties, the content of the deed and the certification part.
In powers of attorney, the accuracy of the list of powers is especially important: it determines what the representative can do. Shortening or generalizing the list changes the content of the document.
In Italian notarial texts, sentences are often very long and combine several subordinate constructions. In the translation the structure has to be carried over so that the legal relationships read unambiguously.
The notary's seal, the registration number and the note on the binding of the pages are part of the document and are reflected in the translation.
Medical documents
Italian medical documents make wide use of abbreviations and acronyms of institutions, which need context to decode.
Test results state reference values and units of measurement. In the translation they are carried over unchanged - converting units or interpreting the result is not the task of the translation.
Discharge summaries and doctor's reports are often partly handwritten. If an entry is unclear, we note this and ask for a clearer copy rather than guess the meaning.
Company and business documents
Information about Italian companies is issued from the commercial register and has a table-like structure: registration details, field of activity, capital, powers of representation.
Such an extract has many coded fields - registration numbers, activity classification codes, dates. In the translation they are carried over character by character.
The description of the powers of representation needs particular accuracy, because it determines who can sign on behalf of the company and within what limits.
The abbreviation indicating the company's legal form is part of its name and is not replaced in the translation with a Georgian equivalent - it stays unchanged, with an explanation where needed.
Frequently asked questions
What does the codice fiscale in my document mean?
It is a sixteen-character tax code calculated from the surname, first name, date of birth, sex and place of birth. In the translation it is carried over character by character.
My church record is in a language I cannot understand - is it Italian?
Most likely it is Latin. Old Italian church registers were historically written in Latin. When we see the photo, we establish which language it is and assess the translation accordingly.
Which extract should I request?
The Italian civil register issues extracts of differing completeness: an abridged one contains the main facts, while a full copy contains the entire text of the record and later notes. Which one you need depends on the requirement of the receiving party.
Why do my two Italian documents look different?
In Italy, civil registration takes place at the level of the comune, so the form and the appearance of the stamp differ from one municipality to another. Both are genuine.
Does the apostrophe in a surname have to be kept?
Yes. The apostrophe and the accent on the final vowel are part of Italian spelling. Losing them changes the surname and causes inconsistencies with other documents.
The list of powers in my power of attorney is long - can it be shortened?
No. It is precisely this list that determines what the representative can do. Shortening or generalizing it changes the content of the document, so it is carried over in full in the translation.
Is the company's legal form translated into Georgian?
No. The abbreviation indicating the legal form is part of the company's official name and stays unchanged. Where needed, an explanation is added in the translation.