THE TERM WARRANTY AND ITS CORRESPONDING CONCEPTS

Warranty
Merriam-Websters dictionary distinguishes between four meanings of warranty1:
1 a: a real covenant binding the grantor of an estate and the grantor's heirs to warrant and defend the
title
b: a collateral undertaking that a fact regarding the subject of a contract is or will be as it is
expressly or by implication declared or promised to be
2: something that authorizes, sanctions, supports, or justifies: warrant
3: a usually written guarantee of the integrity of a product and of the makers responsibility for the
repair or replacement of defective parts.

The word warranty can be dated back to the 14th century, it has originated from Middle
English and Anglo-French.
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 2 and Collins
English Dictionary3, there are few differences in the usage of the word in American and
English varieties. In law common law system, both British and American, there are three
common meanings:
1) in property law, a covenant, express or implied, by which the seller of real estate
vouches for the security of the title (in American legal system this also means
defending the security of the estate conveyed);
2) in contract law, a) an assurance by the seller, explicit or implied, that the goods being
sold are as represented and promised, or b) an assurance by the seller that these goods
will meet specified requirements as to quality, have no defects and, if these goods do
not meet the requirements, a promise to replace or repair them;
3) in insurance law, a guarantee by the party insured that the facts about risks are as
stated.
However, in American English, there are two additional usages of the word warranty, i.e.,
official authorization, sanction or warrant and justification and valid grounds, as for an
opinion or a course of action.

1 Warranty. Merriam-Webster.com. Available on http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warranty. Last

visited on 22 March 2014.
2 Warranty. TheFreeDictionary.com. Available on http://www.thefreedictionary.com/warranty. Last visited on 22
March 2014.
3 Warranty. Collins English Dictionary. Available on
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/warranty?showCookiePolicy=true (British English) and
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/warranty?showCookiePolicy=true (American English).
Last visited on 22 March 2014.

Warranty in Property Law

In property law, warranty is also called covenant of warranty, warranty of title or warranty
deed. The covenant of warranty is one of the six personal covenants for title 4, i.e., seisin,
right to convey, freedom from encumbrances, warranty, quiet enjoyment and further
assurances. These six covenants come from the English covenants of title which came into
standard use in English land transactions during the seventeenth century5. There are two
covenants of warranty in common law system, namely, a general warranty deed and a special
warranty deed.
General warranty is a contract of indemnity. Its purpose is to indemnify the warrantee against
loss he may sustain by a failure in the warrantors title6. A general warranty deed, on the
other hand, warrants as to defect and encumbrances incurred or occurring before the
conveyance7. Gosdin (2007) emphasizes, that this type of warranty indemnifies against
existing defects in title, but not against defects arising after the deed8.
In Latvian legal setting, there is no type of warranty in property law that would ensure that the
seller of a real estate must defend the title of the property and there are no different types of
warranties. In Latvian Civil law, there is a general provision regarding titles, i.e.,
nodot var tikai tas, kam ir tiesba atsavint nododamo lietu, sav vai cita vrd, un ldz ar to griba
atdot lietu citam par paumu.9

In Latvian legal setting, when selling a real estate, there is a standard clause in agreements
which is always present in one form or another, e.g.,
Prdevja apliecina, ka:
Nekustamais paums pieder viengi tai un pirms Lguma noslganas nav nevienam citam atsavints,
nav ielts, nav ar lietu un saistbu tiesbm apgrtints citdi, k vien td mr, k noteikts Lguma
_.punkt. Strdi un aizliegumi par Nekustamo paumu nepastv. Par Nekustamo paumu nenotiek
tiesas process. Pc Nekustam pauma ierakstanas zemesgrmat uz Pircjas vrda tas pieders
tikai un viengi Pircjai.10

Therefore, warranty in property law can be translated into Latvian as apliecinjums or, to be
more precise, panieka izteikts paumtiesbu apliecinjums. This would be a partially

4 Booker T. Washington Constr. and Design Co. v. Huntington Urban Renewal Auth., 181 W. Va. 409, 383
S.E.2d 41 (1989), quoted in J. L. Gosdin, Title Insurance: A Comprehensive Overview, Third Edition, Chicago,
American Bar Association, 2007, at page 282.
5 Ibid.
6 Spiller v. Fid. Nat'l Title Ins. Co., No 03-97-00501-CV, 1998 Tex. App. LEXIS 6360, quoted ibid.
7 Ibid.: 203.
8 Ibid.
9 Civil law 1937 (29 November 2012). Available on http://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=90221. Last visited on 23
March 2014.
10 Taken from Riga City Council standard template for agreements for selling property.

equivalent term, since in Latvian legal setting there are no types of warranty and the term is
more used as a verb than a noun.

Warranty in Insurance Law

In insurance law, warranty is an undertaking by the party insured that the facts given
regarding the risks are as stated11.
In Latvia, when signing life insurance contracts, the person who wishes to be insured also
must guarantee with their signature that the information given regarding risks (e.g., does not
engage in dangerous sports, is not diagnosed with cancer etc.) is true. In standard contracts,
they are called Apdroinanas mja/Apdroint apliecinjums, ka sniegt informcija ir
patiesa un pilnga12. Therefore, between warranty in insurance law and apdroinanas
mja/apdroint apliecinjums there is full equivalence.

Warranty in Contract Law

As explained before, in Contract Law, the word warranty has two meanings: an assurance
from the seller that the goods sold are as promised and represented or a guarantee stating that
the product has no defects, meets required standards and that, within a specified time and
under certain conditions, the seller will free of charge repair or replace the product 13. In this
sense, warranty is defined in Sale of Goods Act 1979 14, Part VII and U.S. Code 15, Title 15,
Chapter 50.
The first meaning of warranty in contract law, can be translated into Latvian similarly as in
property and insurance law, i.e., apliecinjums. Still, in various English-Latvian dictionaries16,
warranty in this sense is translated as galvojums. However, though the idea behind it is
11 Warranty. TheFreeDictionary.com. Available on http://www.thefreedictionary.com/warranty. Last visited on
22 March 2014.
12 SEB bank application form for life insurance, at page 2. Available on http://www.seb.lv/data/pic/SEBsabiedriba/pieteikums_depozits_101_53_060.pdf. Last visited on 23 March 2014.
13 Warranty. TheFreeDictionary.com. Available on http://www.thefreedictionary.com/warranty. Last visited on
22 March 2014.
14 Sale of Goods Act 1979. Available on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/54. Last visited on 23
March 2014.
15 U.S. Code., Title 15. Available on http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301. Last visited on 23 March
2014.
16 See, for example, Fedor, H. Glossary of Commercial and Trade Law Terms, Washington, Federal Research
Division, 1995, page 26. Available on http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a306430.pdf. Last visited on 23
March 2014.
State Language Centre database. Available on http://termini.vvc.gov.lv/?term=warranty. Last visited on 23
March 2014.
EuroTermBank database. Available on http://www.eurotermbank.com/search.aspx?
text=warranty&langfrom=en&langto=lv&where=etb%20extres&advanced=false#pos=1. Last visited 23 March
2014.

correct (galvojums is basically a promise, statement that the given facts are right and in
everyday language (in some cases) may be used as a synonym for apliecinjums), in legal
Latvian, this term is understood in the context of Latvian Civil law, article 1692 which states
that galvojums ir ar lgumu uzemts pienkums atbildt kreditoram par tres personas
pardu, neatsvabinot tomr pdjo no vias parda17. Therefore, this translation is not
equivalent and suggest completely different meaning than intended and apliecinjums should
be used.
In its second meaning, warranty can be translated into Latvian as garantija. In European
legislation18 and case law,19 it is translated exactly as that. Latvian Consumer Rights
Protection Law defines garantija as
raotja vai prdevja bezmaksas apsoljums atmakst patrtjam par preci vai lietu samaksto
naudas summu, apmaint preci vai lietu pret atbilstou preci vai lietu, bez atldzbas novrst preces vai
lietas neatbilstbu vai veikt citas darbbas, ja prece vai lieta neatbilst garantij vai reklm sniegtajam
raksturojumam20.

However, then a question arises regarding what is the difference between guarantee and
warranty. Apparently, there is a confusion in the EU documents which started over the use and
translation of warranty.21 The difference between the two is that a guarantee is usually free,
whereas warranty can also be called extended guarantee and is more like an insurance policy
for which one must pay premium22.
Therefore, since EU legislation does not distinguish between guarantee and warranty and
warranty is used for both, garantija is still an acceptable translation. However, when
translating texts from United Kingdom or United States, a different word should be used.
Though there is no mention of such extended guarantee in Latvian legislation, international
companies selling, e.g., cars and electronic devices have already been using the term
paplaint garantija, since warranties are sold in Latvia and these companies had to find a

17 Civil law 1937 (29 November 2012). Available on http://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=90221. Last visited on 23
March 2014.
18 See, for example, bilingual display of Commision Regulation No 1126/2008 of 3 November 2008, Article
34(b). Available on http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Notice.do?
mode=dbl&lang=en&ihmlang=en&lng1=en,lv&lng2=bg,cs,da,de,el,en,es,et,fi,fr,hu,it,lt,lv,mt,nl,pl,pt,ro,sk,sl,sv,
&val=483911:cs. Last visited on 23 March 2014.
19 See, e.g., bilingual display of Case C-256/06 Mitsui v Hauptzollamt Dsseldorf [2007] I-01951. Available on
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Notice.do?
mode=dbl&lang=en&ihmlang=en&lng1=en,lv&lng2=bg,cs,da,de,el,en,es,et,fi,fr,hu,it,lt,lv,mt,nl,pl,pt,ro,sk,sl,sv,
&val=491156:cs#I1. Last visited on 23 March 2014.
20 Consumer Rights Protection Law 1999 (19 September 2013). Available on http://likumi.lv/doc.php?
mode=DOC&id=23309. Last visited on 23 March 2014.
21 What's the difference between a guarantee and a warranty? (n.d.) Available on http://www.accesslegal.co.uk/free-legal-guides/whats-the-difference-between-a-guarantee-and-a-warranty-1314.htm .
Last visited on 23 March 2014.
22 Ibid.

term for them in Latvian language. For example, Samsung Electronics differentiates between
pamatgarantijas periods, paplaints garantijas periods and valsts noteikt garantija:
garantijas periods - nozm periods, kas tiek noteikts produkta dokumentcij pamatojoties uz
pirkuma datumu vai jauiem izejmateriliem.
Paplaints garantijas periods - nozm Paplaints garantijas laika periodu, kas stjas spk pc
pamatgarantijas termia beigm. Maksimlais paplaints garantijas periods ir 5 gadi, ieskaitot
pamatgarantijas laika periodu.
valsts noteikt garantija - valsts noteikto garantiju piemro SAMSUNG produktiem saska ar
noteikumiem un nosacjumiem, kas ietverti garantijas dokumentos23.

Taking into account the above mentioned, it can be concluded that warranty in
contract/commercial law can be translated into Latvian as garantija (especially regarding EU
documents) or paplaint garantija.

Warranty as Authorization, Sanction, Warrant or Justification

These meanings of warranty present no translation problems. Depending on the context,
authorization can be translated into Latvian as pilnvara, sanction as atauja, warrant as
pilnvara, rkojums and justification as pamatojums, attaisnojums.

Conclusion. Dictionary Entry

In the beginning of the dictionary, there would be a list of used abbreviations (lietotie
sasinjumi), e.g.,
E ekvivalents
PE pieemams ekvivalents
DE dajs ekvivalents
AE aprakstos ekvivalents (prfrzjums) etc.
At the end of the dictionary, bibliography would be provided (shortened references would be
provided for each term in the entry itself, but full references in the bibliography).
Warranty:

parau tiesbu sistm, lietu (nekustam pauma) tiesbs (J. L. Gosdin

(2007)):

ar covenant of ~, ~ of title, ~ deed

DE, AE, panieka izteikts paumtiesbu apliecinjums;
23 Samsung Electronics Company Limited Fast Guard Paplaint Garantija. Available on
http://support.eu.samsung.com/esamsung/ewarranty/download/lv/FastGuard.pdf. Last visited on 23 March 2014.

parau tiesbu sistm, apdroinanas tiesbs (Merriam-Webster):

PE, apdroinanas mja/apdroint apliecinjums (par sniegts
informcijas patiesumu);

parau tiesbu sistm, saistbu tiesbs (Sale of Goods Act 1979, U.S. Code,
Merriam-Webster):
PE, apliecinjums (AE prdevja apliecinjums, ka prece atbilst
noruntajam);
PE, Neo, paplaint garantija;

Eiropas tiesbs (Commision (EC) Regulation No 1126/2008 of 3 November 2008):

PE, garantija;

Amer. (Collins American):

PE, pilnvara, atauja, rkojums, pamatojums, attaisnojums.

REFERENCES
Books
1.

Gosdin, J. L., Title Insurance: A Comprehensive Overview, Third Edition, Chicago,

American Bar Association, 2007.

2. Fedor, H. Glossary of Commercial and Trade Law Terms, Washington, Federal

Research Division, 1995. Available on
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a306430.pdf. Last visited on 23 March 2014.
Legislation
1.

Civil law 1937 (29 November 2012). Available on http://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=90221.

Last visited on 23 March 2014.

2.

Commision Regulation No 1126/2008 of 3 November 2008, Article 34(b). Available

on http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Notice.do?
mode=dbl&lang=en&ihmlang=en&lng1=en,lv&lng2=bg,cs,da,de,el,en,es,et,fi,fr,hu,it,
lt,lv,mt,nl,pl,pt,ro,sk,sl,sv,&val=483911:cs. Last visited on 23 March 2014.

3.

Consumer Rights Protection Law 1999 (19 September 2013). Available on

http://likumi.lv/doc.php?mode=DOC&id=23309. Last visited on 23 March 2014.

4. Sale of Goods Act 1979. Available on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/54.

Last visited on 23 March 2014.

7
5.

U.S. Code., Title 15. Available on http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301.

Last visited on 23 March 2014.

Cases
1.

Case C-256/06 Mitsui v Hauptzollamt Dsseldorf [2007] I-01951. Available on

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Notice.do?
mode=dbl&lang=en&ihmlang=en&lng1=en,lv&lng2=bg,cs,da,de,el,en,es,et,fi,fr,hu,it,
lt,lv,mt,nl,pl,pt,ro,sk,sl,sv,&val=491156:cs#I1. Last visited on 23 March 2014.

Internet sources
1.

Samsung Electronics Company Limited Fast Guard Paplaint Garantija. Available

on http://support.eu.samsung.com/esamsung/ewarranty/download/lv/FastGuard.pdf.
Last visited on 23 March 2014.

2. SEB bank application form for life insurance, at page 2. Available on

http://www.seb.lv/data/pic/SEB-sabiedriba/pieteikums_depozits_101_53_060.pdf.
Last visited on 23 March 2014.
3. Warranty. Collins American English Dictionary. Available on
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/warranty?
showCookiePolicy=true (American English). Last visited on 22 March 2014.
4. Warranty. Collins British English Dictionary. Available on
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/warranty?showCookiePolicy=true
(British English) Last visited on 22 March 2014.
5. Warranty. EuroTermBank database. Available on
http://www.eurotermbank.com/search.aspx?
text=warranty&langfrom=en&langto=lv&where=etb
%20extres&advanced=false#pos=1. Last visited 23 March 2014.
6.

Warranty. Merriam-Webster.com. Available on http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/warranty. Last visited on 22 March 2014.

7. Warranty. State Language Centre database. Available on http://termini.vvc.gov.lv/?

term=warranty. Last visited on 23 March 2014.
8. Warranty. TheFreeDictionary.com. Available on
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/warranty. Last visited on 22 March 2014.
9. What's the difference between a guarantee and a warranty? (n.d.) Available on
http://www.access-legal.co.uk/free-legal-guides/whats-the-difference-between-aguarantee-and-a-warranty-1314.htm. Last visited on 23 March 2014.