I’ve just published the abstract to the dissertation I did for my MA on this page. You can also download the whole thing in PDF: Exploring the Use of the Louisiana Civil Code as a Source of English Translations for Spanish Legal Terms.
While it specifically looks at using the Louisiana Civil Code as a source of ‘third-system’ translations for Spanish legal terms, it also explores some of the general issues involved in bridging the gap between legal systems in translation, including non-equivalence and the idea that different audiences might require different kinds of legal English.
Excellent piece or work! I strongly recommend reading the whole dissertation. It would be useful not only for trainees in legal translation but also for professional practitioners.
Each part of the paper is well written and well argued. The literature review provides a comprehensive overview of the key issues and challenges involved in translating legal terminology. The methodology, notably the definition of the three scenarios pp.21-22, provides a framework and various criteria that any translator could advantageously use when dealing with legal texts in specific communicative situations. Lastly, the discussion is a powerful illustration of what the use of a third legal system in legal translation is really all about.
I urge Rob to publish this paper (or a shorter version) in an authoritative journal!
Thanks for you comment, Emmanuel. I’m glad to hear you read it!