Exchange Translation Ownership

I think I already know the answer… but my partners have asked me to double check.

We’re about to release an iOS app and we want to translate it into Spanish. If we have the translations done here do we own all the rights (ownership, distribution, etc)? Obviously I’ll be specifying my requirements in my Exchange request

Heck, I didn’t know LingQ was moonlighting as a translation bureau! :-0

ad spatterson: (…) …do we own all the rights (ownership, distribution, etc)? (…)

The legal regulations for these cases, at least in Germany and Austria, are a bit complicated. Generally speaking, the work of a translator is protected by copyright. That is, you are not allowed to modify his translations without his permission.

The specific legal provisions to be applied very much depend on the type of translation. Translators of literary works enjoy a much higher degree of copyright protection. They are entitled to claim that their names be indicated, they are entitled to royalties, they must be given an opportunity to proofread the text before it is printed etc.

Whether translators are considered to be “authors” and thus awarded specific rights of ownership etc. depends on the so-called “threshhold of originality”.

In Germany and Austria translators of technical, legal and other scientific texts are normally not considered to fall into the category of authors. They therefore cannot claim any of the rights you mentioned in your post. There is a large grey area here, however.

A translator successfully sued the GEO magazine because they significantly modified his translations and published the changed version against his express will.

Generally, manuals (like the ones you are referring to), contracts etc. are no problem at all. Novels, even non-fiction books (technical manuals do not fall into this category) are a different matter.

I have translated thousands of patents and have never been given any copyright. Whenever I translate texts in magazines, excerpts from books etc. I’m awarded more rights.

“Heck, I didn’t know LingQ was moonlighting as a translation bureau! :-0”
Umm what? Isn’t that exactly what the exchange is suppose to be for?? translations and corrections…

“Generally, manuals (like the ones you are referring to), contracts etc. are no problem at all”
Okay that sounds good

I would certainly think you own the rights to any translations done on the exchange. You are paying for the translation therefore you own it.