Legal Translation Dr. Mahmoud Altarabin 4:32 AM

Defining legal translation Legal translation refers to translating texts within the field of law such as witness statements, contracts, filed patents, official reports and financial documents. Legal writing is exact and technical and defines legally binding rights and duties. 4:32 AM

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Regardless of the terminological lexical gaps (alternatively called lacunae), ST linguistic structures may have no direct equivalents in TL. 4:32 AM

The big question is Why should legal texts be only translated by specialized law translators? 4:32 AM

Sarcevic (2000, p. 1): “Translation of legal texts leads to legal effects and may even induce peace or prompt a war.” Legal texts have an informative function for the general reader and a directive one for a specific group of people. 4:32 AM

Misunderstanding the terms of a contract can lead to serious consequences. Conflict may arise over the legal impact of a translated legal text. Not many jurists (lawyers or judges) are familiar with terms of translation theory. 4:32 AM

They ask translators to provide verbatim translation. Verbatim means following the exact words and here it refers to word-for-word translation. 4:32 AM

Classification of legal translation Legal translation can be classified according to the subject matter of the STs into: translating domestic statutes and international treaties; translating private legal documents; translating legal scholarly works; and translating case law قانون السوابق القضائية. 4:32 AM

Classification based on the status of the original texts: translating enforceable law, e.g. statutes; translating non-enforceable law, e.g. legal scholarly works. 4:32 AM

Other classifications based on TL text purpose: Normative purpose: producing equally authentic legal texts in bilingual and multilingual jurisdictions of domestic laws and international legal instruments and other laws. Frequently such texts are first drafted in one language and then translated into another language or languages. 4:32 AM

2. Informative purpose: translating statutes, court decisions, scholarly works and other legal documents if the translation is intended to provide information to the target readers. 4:32 AM

How do you think the second type is different from the first type? Differences: First category: the STs and the translated texts are both legally binding. Second category: only SL texts are binding. 4:32 AM

3. General legal or judicial purpose: Such translations are primarily for information and may be used in court proceedings as part of documentary evidence. 4:32 AM

Criminal Law القانون الجنائي Types of laws Generally four types Criminal Law القانون الجنائي This is the kind of law that the police enforce. Murder, assault, robbery and rape are all included within the boundaries of criminal law. 4:32 AM

Civil Law Examples that come under civil law are legal rights: the right to an education or to a trade union membership, or divorce. The best way to describe it is that it looks at actions that are not crimes. 4:32 AM

Comparison Civil law: it is up to the individuals to sort out their own problems by going to court themselves, or with a lawyer. In criminal law: the state makes sure that justice is done weather the defendant wants to go to court or not. 4:32 AM

Common Law and Precedent The common law قانون العرف is the body of law formed through court decisions. A precedent سابقة قضائية/قانونية is a principle or rule established in a previous legal case 4:32 AM

Statute law القانون التشريعي A statute law is a law that is made by the government. 4:32 AM

Use of Latin words such as de facto Legal texts are informative for the general reader and directive for a specific group of people. Use of Latin words such as de facto 4:32 AM

Main features of legal English texts Lexical features: Contextual meaning: The meaning of words in legal documents can vary considerably from their meaning in ordinary texts. Examples of these include: 4:32 AM

On a diplomatic assignment في مهمة دبلوماسية Assignment generally means work given to someone as part of study or job as in: On a diplomatic assignment في مهمة دبلوماسية He was killed while he was on assignment قُتل أثناء تأديته لعمله In the legal context, however, an assignment means transferring the rights held by one party (assignor) to another party (assignee). As such, the word means تحويل/نقل الملكية 4:32 AM

Purely technical terms These terms are only found exclusively in the legal texts. Examples: ‘barrister’ The office is run by a retired barrister Solicitor: محام/مستشار قضائي Solicitors can hire barristers. Barristers work at higher levels than solicitors 4:32 AM

He passed away without an issue. Semi-technical Issue He passed away without an issue. They parties wish to agree on the issue Everyday vocabulary Paragraph Translate the following: Paragraph 5 of the Agreement is hereby deleted and replaced in its entirety with the following: 4:32 AM

Archaic words: The use of old words in legal texts abounds Archaic words: The use of old words in legal texts abounds. English legal texts reflect the use of old vocabulary items. 4:32 AM

I hereby declare that the details furnished above...... أُعلن بموجب هذه الوثيقة أن التفاصيل أعلاه ...... …… as aforesaid حسبما تقدم بيانه … hereinafter referred to as …. المشار إليها فيما بعد ب 4:32 AM

Translate into Arabic Plaintiff hereby moves the Court to enter judgment by default herein in favor of the Plaintiff and against the Defendant. 4:32 AM

Translate … the Administrative Agent will make the funds so received from the Banks available to the applicable Account Party الطرف الطالب فتح الاعتماد at the Administrative Agent’s aforesaid address. Such person is hereinafter referred to as the “Administrator”. 4:32 AM

This contract commences on the date of signature hereof يبدأ سريان هذا العقد من تاريخ توقيعه The lease agreement attached hereto عقد الإيجار المرفق لهذه The contract and the articles contained therein العقد والمواد الواردة فيه 4:32 AM

Word pairs: as Danet (1985, p. 281) put is, these are “fixed in the mind as frozen expressions, typically irreversible.” Examples of such word pairs include: aid and abet, cease and desist, rules and regulations, donations and bequest, will and testament. 4:32 AM

يُعاقَب من يساعد ويحرض على الفساد بنفس عقوبة الجاني. Those who aid and abet corruption offences shall be punished with the same penalty applicable to the perpetrator (UN) يُعاقَب من يساعد ويحرض على الفساد بنفس عقوبة الجاني. A Cease and Desist letter رسالة للكف عن أداء فعل ما والإمتناع عن مباشرته لاحقا Rules and regulations are made to enforce the law سنت القواعد واللوائح لانفاذ القانون Contributions, donations and bequests تبرعات وهبات ووصايا A Last Will and Testament is an important legal document … تعتبر الوصية الأخيرة وثيقة قانونية هامة .... 4:32 AM

Latinism Writ of: cause it to be done Writ of summons: Normally civil proceedings are instituted by writ of summons. تبدأ إجراءات الدعوى المدنية عادةً بإصدار أمر حضور إلى المحكمة bona fide: (law: without intention to deceive) the court assumes that they acted bona fide. تصرفا بحسن نية Bona fide error: خطأ عن غير قصد 4:32 AM

res judicata: a matter adjudicated by a competent court and cannot be appealed. القضية المقررة بحكم نهائي 4:32 AM

Syntactic features: Nominalization – make such provision for the payment of instead of provide for the payment give time for the payment of any debts instead of give time for persons owing debts to pay. 4:32 AM

Passives: The accused was found guilty أدين المتهم 4:32 AM

Conditionals Translate the following: Where either party fails to perform their side of the bargain, then, subject to clause 15 above, if notice of non-performance is given in writing by the injured party within seven days, or, in the event that communication is impossible until the ship reaches a port of call, as soon thereafter as is practically possible, the injured party shall be entitled to treat the contract as discharged except as otherwise provided in this contract. 4:32 AM

Active and passive parties in legal relationships: the suffixeser (-or) and –ee lessor/lessee licensor’/‘licensee 4:32 AM

If Lessee remains in possession of the Premises with the consent of Lessor after the natural expiration of this Agreement, a new tenancy from month-to-month shall be created between Lessor and Lessee which shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions hereof except that rent shall then be due and owing at ______________ DOLLARS ($___________) per month and except that such tenancy shall be terminable upon fifteen (15) days written notice served by either party. 4:32 AM

Lexical vagueness Neutral in the source system may be semantically charged in the target code. Fight, combat, oppose, resist, withstand, contest, contend and argue hyponyms of the hyperonym ‘defend’, and in legal contexts they are associated with the idea of defending one’s rights or position against the attack 4:32 AM

Fight, combat, oppose, resist, withstand found in figurative usage aimed at stressing the idea that the parties concerned are regarded – or choose to depict themselves – as being victimized or as struggling heroically against unfair odds. Tabloids (popular newspaper) headlines favor these words: “British Mum to Fight Custody Order” 4:32 AM

‘contest’, ‘contend’ and ‘argue’ are far more usual in formal proceedings 4:32 AM

Acknowledge service of writ Contract for services Acknowledge service of writ You are commanded that, within * days after service of this writ on you, exclusive of the day of such service, you cause an appearance to be entered for you in the Supreme Court in an action دعوى قضائية at the suit of the abovenamed plaintiff; Service: car serviced 4:32 AM

Phrasal verbs are often used in a quasi-technical sense Phrasal verbs are often used in a quasi-technical sense. For example, parties enter into contracts, put down deposits, serve [documents] upon other parties, write off debts, and so on. 4:32 AM

Sentence length: The length and complexity of sentences are the most obvious syntactic features of legal texts. 4:32 AM

Examples of legal terminology enter into force يدخل حيز التنفيذ، يبدأ سريان مفعولها، يبدأ سريانها، تصبح سارية entry into operation الدخول إلى حيز العمل، تفعيل عمل، بدأ عمل، دخول، وجود، اشتراك put into practice يضع موضع التنفيذ أو التطبيق entry into force سريان ، دخول حيز التنفيذ enter into a contract يتعاقد، يبرم عقدا، يدخل في عقد 4:32 AM

Important notes: Court generally refers to any type of court. An examples containing court: "المحكمة، أينما وردت في النص، تعني المحكمة ذات الاختصاص المكاني للنظر في أي نزاع ينشأ عن هذا العقد داخل فلسطين.“ “Court, wherever mentioned in this contract, means the court of venue jurisdiction over disputes that may arise out of this contract in Palestine.” 4:32 AM

Different naming: translators need to take into consideration the different naming of certain titles: وزارة الداخلية Ministry of Interior is called Home Department in Britain, Department of State in USA. وزير الخارجية Minister of Foreign Affairs means Secretary of State in the US. However, Secretary of State refers to any minister in Britain. Secretary of State for Home Department وزير الدولة للشؤون الداخلية. 4:32 AM

"صدر قرار مجلس الأمن بعد مداولات طويلة" قرار in Arabic is used as a translation of many English words, each used in a different context. Consider the following examples: "صدر قرار مجلس الأمن بعد مداولات طويلة" “After lengthy deliberations, the Security Council issued its resolution.” 4:32 AM

"القرار الوزاري رقم (...) معني بمخالفات النظام البيئي." “The Ministerial Resolution No. (…) is concerned with violations to environmental regulations.” "أصدر رئيس القسم قرارا للموظفين يجعل الالتزام بمواعيد العمل إجباريا." “The Head of Department issued a decision making punctuality compulsory for the employees.” 4:32 AM

"أصدرت المحكمة قرارها في القضية." “The courts passed its judgment in the case presented before it.” " بعد ساعتين فقط من المداولات توصل المحلفون إلى قرار." “After only two hours of deliberations, the jurors reached a verdict.” 4:32 AM

The translation of قضية into English: Although the word can be translated as case or lawsuit, each of these words is used in a different context. 4:32 AM

Case: a problem being dealt with by police or lawyers, Lawsuit: a problem taken to a law court by an ordinary person or an organization rather than the police in order to obtain a legal decision. 4:32 AM

The User of capital letter: In legal texts, the names of parties, be they persons or institutions, are written in capital letters (the first letter or the word of phrase, generally). Examples: The First Party, the Second Party, the Lessor, the Assignor, the Company, the Agreement, the Director, the Chief, the Judge, the Supreme Court, etc. All these shall be defined in the legal text. Example: 4:32 AM

A director of a company appoints employees. (General) The Director of the aforementioned Company shall appoint the employees. (Specific in legal texts) 4:32 AM

Examples of legal sentences: Unless either party notifies the other in writing of changing his address, the abovementioned addresses assigned to each of them shall be effective and valid. تبقى العناوين المبينة أعلاه والخاصة بالطرفين صحيحة وفعالة ما لم يبلغ طرف الطرف الآخر خطيا بتغييره. 4:32 AM

Except where a fire or other emergency exists, the Lessor may not enter the premises without the Lessee approval. لا يجوز للمؤجر أن يدخل المسكن، دون موافقة المستأجر، إلا في حالة وجود حريق أو غيره من الطوارئ. 4:32 AM

Cases that are not stipulated in this Agreement are subject to the applicable laws in Jordan, to ministerial resolutions and to Greater Amman Municipality regulations. تخضع الحالات التي لم تنص عليها هذه الاتفاقية للقوانين واجبة التطبيق في الأردن، وللقرارات الوزارية ولأنظمة أمانة عمان الكبرى. 4:32 AM

The First Party is entitled to revoke this Agreement … in case the Trademark is used for purposes other than the specified ones … يحق للفريق الأول إنهاء هذه الاتفاقية ... في حال استخدام العلامة التجارية لأغراض مخالفة للأغراض المحددة في العقد ... 4:32 AM

Notwithstanding the stipulations in …. بغض النظر عما ورد في Without prejudice to … مع عدم الإخلال ب .... Subject to (rules of the law) مع مراعاة (أحكام القانون)... I, the undersigned أنا الموقع أدناه 4:32 AM

Unless otherwise provided for ما لم يرد نص غير ذلك By and between بين كل من Aforementioned, aforesaid المذكور أعلاه، المذكور آنفا، السابق ذكره Hereby بموجبه Under بموجب Hereinafter فيما بعد – لاحقا 4:32 AM

This law shall come into effect/shall be effective يعمل بهذا القانون Unless otherwise provided by the context ما لم يدل السياق على غير ذلك Both Parties mutually acknowledge their legal capacity ... أقر الطرفان بأهليتهما القانونية IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written. اثباتا لما تقدم، وقع الطرفان هذه الاتفاقية في التاريخ المذكور أعلاه. 4:32 AM

Translation mistakes 1. This agreement has been entered into by and between the following Parties. خطأ: لقد تم تحرير هذه الاتفاقية بين الطرفين الآتيين صواب: حررت هذه الاتفاقية بين الطرفين الآتيين 4:32 AM

The First Party purchased the Property from the Second Party. قام الطرق الأول بشراء العقار من الطرف الثاني اشترى الطرف الأول العقار من الطرف الثاني 4:32 AM

The Landlord and Tenant have agreed to the following المؤجر والمستأجر اتفقا على ما هو آت: اتفق المؤجر والمستأجر على ما هو آت: 4:32 AM

Both the Landlord and the Tenant certify that all information provided by them in this Lease Agreement is accurate يشهد المؤجر والمستأجر أن المعلومات المقدمة من قبلهما في اتفاقية التأجير هذه دقيقة. يشهد المؤجر والمستأجر أن المعلومات التي قدماها في اتفاقية التأجير هذه دقيقة. 4:32 AM

Translation of shall Only MUST imposes legal obligation. MUST NOT means something is prohibited. SHALL is confusing as it can mean may, will, must Many legal reference books no longer use shall for its inconsistency. 4:32 AM

Garner (2009, p. 1499) says that shall as a verb means “has a duty to” as in “notice shall be sent”. It can mean may as in “no person shall enter the building without first signing the roster”. In addition, shall can mean will as in “the corporation shall then have a period of 30 days to object”. 4:32 AM

Furthermore, shall can mean is entitled to as in “the secretary shall be reimbursed for all the expenses”. 4:32 AM

Examples from Universal Declaration of Human Rights: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. 4:32 AM

The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles 41 and 42, to maintain or restore international peace and security. يقرر مجلس الأمن ما إذا كان قد وقع تهديد للسلم أو إخلال به أو كان ما وقع عملاًً من أعمال العدوان، ويقدم في ذلك توصياته أو يقرر ما يجب اتخاذه من التدابير طبقاً لأحكام المادتين 41 و42 لحفظ السلم والأمن الدولي أو إعادته إلى نصابه. 4:32 AM

Practice section Employment contract 4:32 AM