Legal Translation

Legal translations require a complex set of tools. Such texts require a high degree of precision, accuracy, and subject matter knowledge.

Are translators qualified to translate legal texts given their legal weight?

In certain circumstances it might be advantageous to employ a lawyer.

However, translators are often tasked with transferring source legal texts into target legal texts. It makes sense to discuss how translators can approach the problem. I refer to translators as linguistic specialists and I define lawyers as legal professionals.

How do translators acquire legal competency?

I will share my own experience. I started out trying to comprehend the legal world by reading cases in college. This was a difficult introduction. One begins to get the sense of how legal prose is written.

For a budding translator looking to get into the field, I suggest reading legal cases. It provides a good introduction as to how lawyers and judges think and write. Legal reasoning is also important, and to comprehend it, a good training in critical thinking is necessary.

Then, it is time to acquire fluidity with legal terminology. This can be in the form of gaining some experience in a degree program toward learning legal translations, or it can come in the form of work experience. Whatever is done to gain bilingual experience in legal terminology will be helpful in this respect. It is crucial to understand both the target legal system and the source legal system.

Are there any contrasts?

Usually, there are subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences that one must understand when translating these texts. Take for example the English Common Law and its contrast with the system of Civil Law used in other parts of the world.

One begins to understand how to translate and interpret the different practices and customs in distinct legal systems. Once translators gain proficiency in interpreting these differing practices and customs, they can move on to more complicated legal texts. While legal translation is a challenge in itself, it is one that is worth the effort, paying off in terms of stimulation and meaning.


Matthew B. McDonald, Translator