Translations translations and then some...are they reliable or biased?

[DCI]

This anecdote shows a UK Court, when an official foreign document is produced by the accusation in a "professional translation", should have it double checked (it might be a right of the defence, but were they prepared to spend money on this ?).
It is yet possible that the translation was ordered by the Court. If one knows, I'd welcome information.
I don't think this particular short extract affected Mr Bennett's position, I think it rather likely comforted Mr and Mrs McCann's one. But what about the rest of the translation ?
Far to suspect UK justice to be corrupted, as John suggested yesterday, I think it happens translators make mistakes. Me too !

So why was it so serious, for you to say?

"this is serious since the translation was used by the court that judged Mr Bennett".

Now you say, "McCann vs Bennett on which I know nothing". You can't have it both ways!

[Eleanor]

It really isn't important.  Bennett's Trial had nothing to do with anything that happened in Portugal.

[DCI]

It really isn't important.  Bennett's Trial had nothing to do with anything that happened in Portugal.

I know that, Eleanor. But Anne, seems to think it is, and does

[AnneGuedes]

DCI, I said I would never reply to you and you know why. However I can't but feel concerned by your overburdening your mind with useless suspicions.
It is certainly not the first occurrence of use in Court of a translation that isn't totally consistent with the original. I think it's a serious issue in itself, generally speaking ! I'm not interested in examining whether it influenced the verdict or not in the particular minor McCann vs Bennett case ! I think Mr Bennett did the McCanns a favour making them appear like victims of a fool !

[DCI]

DCI, I said I would never reply to you and you know why. However I can't but feel concerned by your overburdening your mind with useless suspicions.
It is certainly not the first occurrence of use in Court of a translation that isn't totally consistent with the original. I think it's a serious issue in itself, generally speaking ! I'm not interested in examining whether it influenced the verdict or not in the particular minor McCann vs Bennett case ! I think Mr Bennett did the McCanns a favour making them appear like victims of a fool !

When did you say you would never reply to me, Anne?.
No I don't know why, perhaps you can enlighten me, and everyone else!

[DCI]

Why was CATRIONA SISILE BAKER'S, statement altered?

I was interviewed on DVD, by DC GIERC of the Leicestershire Police between 10h09 and 10h54 on Monday, 14th of April of 2008 in the Leicestershire police headquarters. I can affirm that my statement on DVD is truthful and in accord with my understanding.

Between 11h57 and 12h12 of the same day I was again interviewed on DVD by DC GIERC. During this interview I was permitted to refresh my memory after reading my translated original statement made to the Portuguese police. There are two facts that I would like to clarify: "dining out service" which is mentioned is available for the adults, being that the children would be left under the care of a childcare worker during dinner. My original deposition also mentioned that Madeleine offered more attention to the boys in the club. I do not remember having made such an affirmation given that Madeleine passed the majority of time playing with Jane Tanner's daughter. I confirm that the deposition in this second DVD is truthful and in accord with my knowledge and that it will be registered.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/CAT_BAKER.htm

[Redblossom]

My original deposition also mentioned that Madeleine offered more attention to the boys in the club. I do not remember having made such an affirmation given that Madeleine passed the majority of time playing with Jane Tanner's daughter

***
before you go off again accusing the police of doctoring statements, (and why would they bother for such an inconsequential thing) can you
show where is the original statement mentioning this? Certainly not the one in the files. And who translated her original deposition to include the mention of boys. Could it have been a mistranslation? of this part** Genders and relationships in some foreign languages are easily mixed up, in some, the same word means child in general, also a male child or boy
 >@@(*&)

**

Concerning the little girl, she states that she was a quite active and sociable child, who nevertheless paid most of her attention to the children of her own group (Lobster Team).

http://themaddiecasefiles.com/post1452.html#p1452

But which is not identical to this translation

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/CATRIONA-TREASA.htm

Can someone translate this part please:

[Eleanor]

Does who Madeleine played with have any bearing on this case?  Beyond someone altering a statement for some inexplicable reason.

[AnneGuedes]

Masculine plural is generic. But, considering the global sentence, it seems in this case CB was meaning "boys".
A line is missing. Madeleine was reluctant to be in this group, the first day...

[Redblossom]

Does who Madeleine played with have any bearing on this case?  Beyond someone altering a statement for some inexplicable reason.

Ask DCI who has the problem

[Redblossom]

Masculine plural is generic. But, considering the global sentence, it seems in this case CB was meaning "boys".
A line is missing. Madeleine was reluctant to be in this group, the first day...

Thanks Anne. Do you mean in  lines 52/53 it could be read as boys?

I dont know about the missing words/line, but I dont think its related.

[Eleanor]

Sheesh.  The suspect translations don't even get the gender right.  Any accredited translator would.  That is part of the effort involved.

[DCI]

Does who Madeleine played with have any bearing on this case?  Beyond someone altering a statement for some inexplicable reason.

Exactly, Eleanor.

There are 4 options for this.

1. The interpreter got it wrong

2. The tranlsator got it wrong

3. The person who typed up the statements got it wrong

4. Or, as you say, it was altered for some inexplicable reason

Which ever way you look at it, Cats statement was altered, between her making it, and it being filed.

Red, I don't have a problem, but Cat Baker did, and for good reason IMO!

How many more are there, that have been altered?

[Redblossom]

Sheesh.  The suspect translations don't even get the gender right.  Any accredited translator would.  That is part of the effort involved.

So who is the suspect translator here? The files were not released until 4 months after the time of the rogatory interviews! So impossible the mccannpjfiles translations were used. So who did the British or even PT police use? A non accredited translator? 
Edited

[AnneGuedes]

Thanks Anne. Do you mean in  lines 52/53 it could be read as boys?

I dont know about the missing words/line, but I dont think its related.

Boys, yes. I think if CB had said "children", the interpret would have translated "crianças".
She might have feared this would be wrongly understood as having a sexual connotation. Some little girls prefer the company of boys simply because they like activities traditionally "boyish". Some boys like dolls without revealing this way sexual ambiguity !