Translation criticism : a model for assessing the translation of legal texts

Abstract EN

The present paper is concerned with suggesting a model for assessing the translation of legal texts.

To achieve this aim, a theoretical survey of the various positions held on the concept of register has been made to find out which position is better to adopt.

Then, the distinctive features of the English legal register have been outlined.

These features have formed the bases on which the model under consideration has been constructed.

The features can be grouped into three main classes: the layout, the syntactic and the semantic features.

To find out whether or not the translator of legal texts succeeded in choosing the suitable translation method, a brief review of the classification of legal texts (as categorized by translation theory specialists) has been done.

Moreover, two untranslated Arabic texts have been considered to uncover the influence, if any, of the target language (TL) legal texts on the translation of the source language (SL) texts It is assumed that some translation drawbacks may be attributable to the carryover from the TL as far as how the framework of its legal texts is concerned.

In addition, some features of the SL legal texts seem to be untranslatable due to the absence of their counterparts in the TL.

To validate the two assumptions above, three English legal texts with their translated counterparts have been chosen and analyzed.

The analysis has been done in the light of the model already proposed.

Having been made, the analysis has shown some results (cf 1.9).

Some syntactic defects in the TTs have originated from the impact of the TL and the way the legal texts are framed in it.

Moreover, some layout and semantic features (e.g., capitalization, archaism) have remained untranslated owing to the absence of their counterparts in the TL.

As for the limitations the present paper, the data is small in quantity to substantially enhance the findings of the study.

Expansion of the data may reveal other features of the STs and the TTs as far as legal discourse is concerned.

Moreover, some features of the proposed model may be added or deleted.