Legal Terms

The present book is a part of the research project in legilinguistic translatology, entitled: ‘Parametrisation of legilinguistic translatology in the scope of civil law and civil procedure’. Financial support was provided by the National Science Centre of the Republic of Poland (Sonata Bis Programme — research grant no. DEC-2012/07/E/HS2/00678, which enabled us to finance the research into the Polish-Greek language pair.
The basic assumptions for the parametric approach to the comparison of legal terminology in legal translation are presented in Chapter I. Legilinguistics, understood here as legal linguistics, is the discipline devoted to the nature, development and usage of legal language, while legilinguistic translatology, as a subdiscipline of translatology, concerns itself with the theory and practice of the translation of legal texts. As legilinguistic translatology is subdivided into theoretical and practical translatology, the present study is categorised as an investigation in the practical field. However there are some references to theoretical legilinguistic translatology also. The point of departure is the paradigm of legal communication, where the source text (here also called the ‘translandive text’) are Polish statutes in the area of civil law, the source-text author is the Polish lawmaker, the translation is a legal text (here also called the ‘translantive text’), the recipient is a Greek legal professional or judicial authority. The author and the recipient of the potential translation are both members of the professional legal communicative community, and simultaneously the author of the text is a member of the communicative community of the Polish language, while the recipient of the potential translation is a member of the Greek-language communicative community.
The research methodology is presented in Chapter II. The parametric comparative analysis takes as a point of departure terms excerpted from Polish civil law statutes, i.e. the Civil Code (Kodeks Cywilny) and the Code of Civil Procedure (Kodeks Postępowania Cywilnego), here also called ‘translandive units’.  They are compared with Greek terms, which, first of all, come from Greek civil law statutes, i.e. the Civil Code (Αστικός Κώδικας [Astikos Kodikas]) and the Code of Civil Procedure Κώδικας Πολιτικής Δικονομίας [Kodikas Astikis Dikonomias]). If they are not present in statutes, they are excerpted from other legal genres, and, ultimately, if they are not present in other legal genres, either, then, they are excerpted from other lects (e.g. LSPs, vernacular lect) or potentially coined by the translator. The very first step of comparative analysis focuses on the meaning of the terms in a legal context. This is followed by analysis of the source-text unit compared with the translantive text (target text) in the context of the relevant dimensions of the terms. The dimensions are understood as a set of homogeneous properties that are used to calculate the distance between the compared terms. The set of minimal dimensions, which allow us to calculate the similarities and differences between the compared terms, comprises: genre, lect, branch of law, sub-branch of law and optional dimensions. The presumed objective of the comparative analysis is to determine: 1) lack of distance, where the compared terms can be recognised as synonyms; 2) short distance; where the compared terms can be recognised as translational equivalents; 3) significant distance, where compared terms cannot be recognised as translational equivalents, and there is a need to compensate for the lack of common dimensions; 4) lack of possible calculation because there is no term that could be compared on the basis of the aforementioned dimensions and their properties. Research material comprises the basic normative acts of Polish and Greek substantive and procedural civil law.
Firstly, the relevant dimensions are presented in hierarchical order (Chapter III); then, they are applied to calculate the distance between Polish and Greek civil law terms. They are investigated from the perspective of the relations of convergence (Chapter IV), polysemy (Chapter V), complementarity (Chapter VI), cognate words and potential false friends (Chapter VII), imprecise or flexible meaning (Chapter VIII), euphemisms and metaphors (Chapter IX). Semantic-lexical relations are investigated from the intralingual and interlingual points of view, within the framework of the language of Polish and Greek civil law.
Since comparative analysis of Polish and Greek terms is accompanied by certain directives of particularistic Polish-Greek legilinguistic translatology, under the relevant postulates of general legilinguistics, they are used within the translation algorithm. It should be stressed that the algorithm is presumed to be a set of actions executed in a certain order in order to achieve a certain result. Then, the translational algorithm based on parametric calculation of distance between compared legal terms is applied, and the explanation scheme is given (Chapter X).
In conclusion the results of the research are presented analytically and subsequently discussed in Chapter XI, with concluding notes are provided from the perspective of: 1) translation practice, and 2) lexicography and terminography in reference to LSP lexicography.

Шлепнев Д. Н. Французский язык для юристов: толковый словарь. Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2006. 288 с. (Высшее образование)
Название книги, на мой взгляд, неудачное. Но таково было решение издательства. Я сам предпочитал точное название: «Французско-русский толковый юридический словарь». Если говорить языком простым, то этот словарь по своему замыслу и содержанию - та самая матчасть, которую необходимо изучать и юридическому переводчику, и юристу-компаративисту.
См. презентацию словаря: https://www.academia.edu/39505318/Презентация_издания_Французский_язык_для_юристов_ толковый_словарь_

The article discusses fundamental terminology and phraseology connected with company representation in Polish law and has two objectives. The first objective is to conduct a detailed analysis of the most salient terms, prokurent, pełnomocnik zgromadzenia, kurator spółki, pełnomocnik do głosowania and przedstawiciel, with a view to determining their conceptual fields and obtaining a basis for cross-linguistic comparison. The second objective is to identify and assess their English equivalents in translation practice, demonstrating various techniques applied by legal translators to deal with incongruity and non-equivalence. The third section presents an overview of Polish phraseology related to representation to aid translators in achieving naturalness in translation.

This paper analyses some key issues related to legal-institutional translation, a specialized and fascinating area, which plays a significant role as a means of communication between legal systems.
In an attempt to provide an integrated approach to legal translation, this dissertation focuses on some methodological similarities between comparative lawyers and legal translators when faced with two major problems: the incommensurability between legal systems, which determines a degree of conceptual and terminological incongruency between legal languages. In order to be effective, legal translation must take account of both legal and linguistic aspects: building upon legal comparison, further dimensions need to be considered, essentially relating to linguistic and extra-linguistic factors in terms of the context and the distinctive nature of legal discourse.
In legal language some clear traits can be identified at various levels: specific technical terms, stylistic features, complex syntax and the frequent resort to standardized forms and stock phrases. In addition, the language of the law is inherently vague and polysemic. Structural characteristics include the system- and culture-boundedness of legal discourse and the special pragmatic status of legal texts, essentially connected with the performative nature of legal language, defined as a “langage d’action”.
The distinctive nature of legal texts has methodological and practical consequences.  Legal translation is not a process of terminological transcoding and involves specific aspects, which mark it off from other areas of specialized translational activities and require special strategies and techniques.
The main emphasis will be on some key cases for discussion: the dispute on untranslatability, the debated concept of equivalence and Nord’s theoretical distinction, based on the function of the translated text, between instrumental and documentary translation.
An attempt is made to shed light on the first two issues in their development over time, eventually rejecting the idea that there is one universally applicable concept of equivalence. Therefore, standardized and absolute models should be abandoned in favor of a more dynamic and flexible approach, based on an integrated approach to legal concepts and pragmatic considerations. Some examples are presented to show that, on this basis, legal translation is possible and productive.
A dynamic approach is also relevant when theoretical principles are implemented in actual practice, which is characterized by indefinite situations with blurred edges. According to Dullion’s analysis, Nord’s distinction corresponds to a continuum with two extreme poles and several intermediate cases. For example, documentary translations can produce indirect legal effects in practice; moreover, thanks to translation legal texts can be a vehicle for legal transplants and the introduction of legal concepts in new systems.
Attention is also drawn to the changing role and competences of legal translator, who is now regarded as an active mediator, whose decision-making powers and responsibilities have been constantly increasing.
The concluding remarks attempt to show that, if a dynamic and flexible approach is chosen, legal translation can enhance knowledge, information and text quality, thus enabling and improving cross-cultural and cross-system legal communication. Some examples will be analyzed in the end, opening the way to further comments: legal translation is not only possible but also vital in our era of multilingualism and globalization.

Статья старая. И предмет ее (словарь) уже не существует в продаже.

Цель статьи - представить французско-русский толковый юридический словарь:
Шлепнев Д. Н. Французский язык для юристов: толковый словарь. Ростов н/Д.: Феникс, 2006. 288 с. (Высшее образование).

Если говорить языком простым, то этот словарь по своему замыслу и содержанию – та самая матчасть, которую необходимо изучать и юридическому переводчику, и юристу-компаративисту.

Весь тираж этой книги на сегодня разошелся. Поскольку право стремительно развивается, то сегодня стереотипное переиздание словаря уже, конечно, было бы шагом неразумным. И французский, и отечественный законодатель напринимали новых законов. Соответственно, некоторые толкования, объяснения и сравнения требуют правки.

Статья была подготовлена специально для Портала французского права (http://www.france-jus.ru) по просьбе его тогдашнего координатора Арнольда Сойе (Arnold Sohier), где и была опубликована в 2009 г. вместе с парой других моих статей на тему юридического перевода. К сожалению, проект, видимо, закрылся (или переориентировался?), и довольно обширная библиография трудов на русском языке о французском праве оттуда удалена.
Статью можно сегодня обнаружить на ресурсе DocPlayer (http://docplayer.ru/25967362-Prezentaciya-izdaniya-francuzskiy-yazyk-dlya-yuristov-tolkovyy-slovar-1.html ), куда чьими-то стараниями (за которые я теперь благодарен) был загружен pdf-файл, скачанный с Портала.
Если же кому-то захочется сослаться на эту статью, то сегодня, видимо, ссылаться стоит на публикацию на ресурсе academia.

Название книги, на мой взгляд, неудачное. Но таково было решение издательства.  Я сам предпочитал точное название: «Французско-русский толковый юридический словарь».

Книга включала в себя: Введение; Раздел 1 – Толкование основных терминов французского права; Раздел 2 – Толкование терминов уголовного права; Сокращения и аббревиатуры; Приложение. Заметки о юридической терминологии; Алфавитный указатель.
Содержание Раздела 1 определялось во многом содержанием такой непременной для первого курса дисциплины на французских юридических факультетах, как "Введение (или Общее введение) в право". В рамках этой дисциплины студентам сообщают основополагающие сведения о праве вообще и о французском праве в первую очередь. Это некий базис, фундамент, на котором возводят дальнейшие постройки... В сущности, основной материал здесь из гражданского права.
Раздел 2 - это, прежде всего, общая часть уголовного права. С некоторыми экскурсами в особенную часть.
Работа над этими разделами изначально велась мной в разное время: предполагалось издание двух разных книг. Толковый словарь по уголовному праву появился ранее отдельным изданием в виде университетской публикации. Эта публикация не получила ни рекламы, ни нормального распространения. Но, к счастью, появилась возможность, издать всё под одной обложкой в крупном издательстве. Что и было сделано.
В третьем разделе содержатся расшифровки (без перевода) наиболее частотных сокращений и аббревиатур, встречающихся в юридических документах, комментариях к кодексам, учебниках, справочных пособиях и  ссылках на судебную практику.

И с некоторыми поправками процитирую сказанное ниже: составление словаря стало возможным благодаря сотрудничеству с Университетом Гренобль II (сегодня он влился в Université Grenoble Alpes), на Юридическом факультете которого я имел возможность спокойно и, надеюсь, небестолково работать несколько лет в качестве приглашенного преподавателя (maître de conférences invité) в самом дружественном окружении. А также благодаря поддержке Отдела по сотрудничеству и культуре Посольства Франции в России и Министерства иностранных дел Франции, которые обеспечили материальную сторону проекта.

The article discusses terminology mining on a small scale as used by legal freelance translators in practice, and recent developments in this area. Major properties of legal
terms are discussed from the Cognitive Linguistics perspective where terms are seen as prompts that activate background knowledge structures. Next various resources are presented, including the most traditional ones, i.e. dictionaries, to more recent online and electronic resources such as googling, and discussion forums. Their major advantage is reduction of search time, increased functionality of translation and insight into how other translators have tackled a similar terminological problem before (established
equivalents).

Contrastive methods have long been employed in lexicography, in particular in bi-and multilingual dictionary projects. The main rationale for this is the necessity to comprehensively study, i.e. compare and contrast, two or more linguistic systems that are to be presented in one way or another in respective dictionaries. Similarly, the contrastive approach is of paramount importance in terminographic undertakings, on account of the need to draw a distinction between terminological (conceptual) systems existing in various languages and across cultures. It must be emphasised, however, that the contrastive element is not only a part of terminographic practice, but also of the theory of terminography. This article aims to present the role of contrastive research across various spheres of specialised (=LSP) lexicography.

Folder ini menghimpun berbagai informasi/instruksi perkuliahan & bahan ajar berkenaan dengan penyelenggaraan perkuliahan jarak jauh di lingkungan FH UNSRI (mulai pengajaran Semester Genap 2019/2020), khususnya untuk beberapa mata kuliah yang saya ikut serta mengampunya -- juga disertakan beberapa kegiatan akademik terkait lainnya.

The approach to legal terms of art (or technical legal terms) form rhetorical perspectives is based on their place in  legal discourse depending on the genre of the text. The division of legal texts by genres, proposed in the article, is grounded in Russian theory of slovesnost’, which was in the core of education in Russia in the second half of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries and was later developed in the works by Soviet professor of linguistics Yuri Rozhdestvensky and his students of rhetoric, philology and cultural studies.  Law as a discipline in which ordinary words and terms of art behave in a different way that in other sciences poses many questions before the researchers, and these questions can only be resolved by using interdisciplinary approach, where rhetoric and theory of slovesnost’ provide one of the possibilities. The main legal genre of written prose is a normative act, that is why special attention is paid to the use of the terms in statutes. Different behavior of terms of art in texts of different genres is noted. Analysis of polysemy and homonymy in statutory texts and investigation of legal terms versus terms in other sciences is made. Special attention is paid to technical  legal terms, which have different definitions in different branches of law, to legal definitions, which have different meaning in law and other sciences, to terms of “general science” (such as ‘assimilation’, ‘operation’, ‘balance’, etc.) and to those words, which can be used in legal texts in their ordinary or terminological meaning (e.g. ‘agent’, ‘defender’). A distinction will be drawn between the technical legal terms in legal theory and technical legal terms, which found their definitions in statutory texts or regulations.

Abstract. The author intends to present evolutionary and revolutionary changes in legal terminology. Legal terminology changes as a result of language usage, technological development, political and social changes and even economy reasons. The following research methods have been applied: the terminological analysis of the research material (empirical observation, analysis of comparable texts and parametric approach to legal terminology comparison) and the analysis of pertinent literature. The research material included legislation from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada and Australia. The author focuses on terminological changes resulting from social transformations. Selected terms and their transformation in respect to meaning and form are elaborated on in the paper. Finally, the author draws conclusions that translation of such terminology should aim at communication precision and many of them may be false friends in interlingual communication.

The paper analyses the history and the usage of the legal term
prioritas termini. It was used from the 1320’s and till the of the XIVth century all the major judges (judge royal, palatine, Slavonian ban etc.) postponed lawsuits because of prioritas termini. In the end of the century the usage of this term was changed. In the XVth century only the authorities of the counties and the ecclesiastical judges used it.
It was a special reason for the postponing, only the defendant
could use it and only in the first time, when he had to appear in front of the judge. The defendant sent his deputy, who was called assumptor termini. In general the person of the assumptor termini was not named in the charters, and his only role was to ask and take the new terminus for his principal.

Abstract. The aim of the article is to discuss the legal language transformations from a diachronic perspective taking into account the following factors: (i) spatial and temporal, (ii) linguistic norm changes, (iii) political, (iv) social (customs), and (v) globalization as well as (vi) EU-induced. Spatial and temporal factors include legal relations influenced by climate and the cycles of nature. Linguistic factors include spelling reforms and grammatical changes each language undergoes, for example, as a result of usage. As far as the law is concerned, normative changes can be observed when laws are amended. Other factors such as customs, usage, etc. cannot be neglected when discussing the language of the law. Analogously political correctness and usage can be observed in gender sensitive language and the introduction of such terms as chairperson instead of chairman. Social factors should not be overlooked. As a result of social changes, numerous terms have been introduced to legal lexicons in many countries starting with same-sex unions or same-sex-marriages. The so-called political correctness enforces some language changes and leads to the introduction of new terms and at the same time the abandonment of others. Consequently, some terms cease to be used and consequently become archaic.
The aim of the article is to focus on diachronic changes in legal languages and present the communication problems resulting from them from intra- and interlingual perspectives.

Through the instrumentality of the translation allusions strategies proposed by Leppihalme (1997) and the Skopos-plus-loyalty approach developed by Nord (1997), the present study scrutinizes the English translation of six Islamic-legal terms and six metaphors used for women in selected Prophetic Hadith from two English versions of Al-Tabrīzī’s (d. 1348 A.D.) Mishkat-ul-Masabih that have been translated by Fazlul Karim (1938) and Robson (1963). The results indicate that Fazlul Karim’s (1938) translation of the of Islamic-legal terms shows his commitment to provide the Muslim reader with the necessary Islamic rulings and opinions taken from the Prophetic Hadith. However, the language in his translation is found to be incomprehensible in many cases because it strictly adheres to the Arabic structure. By comparison, Robson’s (1963) language appears natural and the terms are translated more accurately regarding the ‘general meaning’ of the word. In addition, his translation is comprehens...

The financial support granted by the National Science Centre of the Republic of Poland (Sonata Bis program — research grant no. DEC-2012/07/E/HS2/00678, entitled: Parametrisation of legilinguistic translatology in the scope of civil law and civil procedure).

Стаття присвячена дослідженню положень чинного законодавства України та положень Директиви Ради № 87/540/ЄЕС з метою визначення умов її імпле-ментації та реалізації її положень в Україні. Визначено місце Директиви у системі законодавства України. Проаналізовано понятійно-термінологічний апарат, а саме поняття «імплементація», «реалізація», «адаптація» в контексті теорії держави та права, адміністративного та міжнародного права. Ключові слова: імплементація, реалізація, адаптація, внутрішні водні шляхи, Директива № 87/540/ЄЕС.

The article is dedicated to research of terms in a civil law as right-depriving jural facts. The types of terms and forms of their influence on the legal occurrences are analysed. The mechanisms of deprivation of rights, duties and legal relationships as a result of ending of terms in the civil legal relationships are explored.

У статті досліджується термінологія, як один із засобів юридичної техніки, що має дуже важливе значення при формулюванні текстів нормативно-правових актів. У статті проаналізовано основні проблеми термінологічних колізій у нормотворчій діяльності та запропоновано шляхи їх подолання.

The approach to legal terms of art (or technical legal terms) form rhetorical perspectives is based on their place in legal discourse depending on the genre of the text. The division of legal texts by genres, proposed in the article, is grounded in Russian theory of slovesnost’, which was in the core of education in Russia in the second half of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries and was later developed in the works by Soviet professor of linguistics Yuri Rozhdestvensky and his students of rhetoric, philology and cultural studies. Law as a discipline in which ordinary words and terms of art behave in a different way than in other sciences poses many questions before the researchers, and these questions can only be resolved by using interdisciplinary approach, where rhetoric and theory of slovesnost’ provide one of the possibilities. The main legal genre of written prose is a normative act, that is why special attention is paid to the use of the terms in statutes. Different ...