Challenges that novice translators encounter in translating contracts and agreements in Jordan

Other Title(s)

التحديات التي يواجهها المترجمون حديثو العهد في ترجمة العقود و الاتفاقيان في الأردن

Dissertant

al-Najjar, Ala al-Din Muhammad

Thesis advisor

al-Duwayk, Badr Said

Comitee Members

al-Sadun, Sabbar Sultan
al-Abbas, Sulayman Awwad

University

Middle East University

Faculty

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of English

University Country

Jordan

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2011

English Abstract

This study explored challenges that novice translators encountered in translating contracts and agreements in Jordan.

Particularly, this study aimed at answering the following two questions: what are some of challenges that novice translators encounter when translating contracts and agreements? and what are the reasons behind these challenges? To achieve the goals of this study, the researcher selected two samples; a convenience sample for the test and the other for interviews.

The convenience sample consisted of twenty (20) novice translators (male and female).

This sample was selected from students who graduated and were looking for a job with a translation agency chosen to take part in the study.

The other sample consisted of two professors in translation and linguistics and three novice translators.

The researcher prepared a translation test that consisted of two texts: a contract and an agreement.

The two tests were selected from a legal translation book authored by Dr.

Adel Saqf Al Hait and the participants were asked to translate these two texts.

The researcher also conducted semistructured interviews (see p.34) with novice translators and experts in the field of translation to compile more information.

Results of the study revealed that novice translators faced different kinds of challenges when translating contracts and agreements.

These challenges can be categorized into four broad types, namely: (i) semantic-related challenges (including mistranslations, comprehension-related errors, referential errors); (ii) style-related challenges (including misuse of capitalization, punctuation, formal and informal and usage of special modal verbs like “shall”); (iii) grammar-related challenges (including tenses and verb-subject agreement); (iv) research-related challenges such as googling (i.e.

using Google Translation software haphazardly).

The study also revealed that lack of courses on legal translation, poor researching skills, lack of knowledge of the proper use of translation techniques and lack of specialized legal dictionaries might stand behind these challenges.

The study recommended the following: - Novice translator should be trained in translating various legal texts translated by professional translators with a view to enhancing their performance.

- Competent instructors and specialists should be selected to teach legal translation since they are knowledgeable in how to treat such challenges.

Main Subjects

Languages & Comparative Literature

No. of Pages

142

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-691556