“You Have the Right to Keep Quiet”: Translation Inadequacies in Nevada’s Spanish Miranda Warning 

The landmark case Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the United States Supreme Court required law enforcement agencies to advise all suspects of their “Miranda warnings,” or Constitutional protections, prior to interrogation. Previous research demonstrates that the Miranda warnings in the United States are largely unregulated and highlights how inadequate translations can impact comprehensibility. The present study evaluates the translation problems found in the Spanish Miranda warnings in Nevada, including complex grammar, formal lexicon, and the assumption by law enforcement agencies that detainees will have a baseline familiarity with their rights. In some instances, these errors are significant enough that they might preclude a listener from understanding their Constitutional rights. This study suggests specific areas where the Spanish Miranda warnings require specific revision in order to conform to case law and best practices based on research.