Developing Legal Translation Competence: An Integrative Process-Oriented Approach

Abstract

Building on previous holistic multicomponent paradigms of translation macrocompetence, a legal translation competence model is presented which avoids certain conceptual duplications in the light of professional practice, and incorporates distinctive legal thematic elements. Beyond component description, it is argued that the integral development of legal translation competence requires specific interdisciplinary methodologies for practical problem solving. The integrative approach proposed in this paper is process-oriented, and focuses on the legal translation-specific know-how within the key methodological or strategic subcompetence controlling all other subcompetences. Translation and legal knowledge are inextricably linked throughout the translation process, from the initial skopos analysis and legal macro-contextualization until the final revision stage. This approach, intended as a meta-reflection continuum between competence acquisition and reinforcement, and between formal training and professional practice, has proved effective for the systematization of problem-identification, problemcategorization and problem-solving patterns. Finally, some implications for legal translation training are outlined by way of conclusion.Keywords: legal translation, competence development, translation process, translation problem solving, translator training EL DESARROLLO DE LA COMPETENCIA EN TRADUCCIÓN JURÍDICA: UN ENFOQUE INTEGRADOR ORIENTADO AL PROCESOResumen: Partiendo de anteriores paradigmas multicomponenciales holísticos de macrocompetencia traductora, se presenta un modelo de competencia en traducción jurídica que evita ciertas duplicaciones conceptuales en vista de la práctica profesional, e incorpora elementos de temática jurídica distintivos. Más allá de la descripción de componentes, se argumenta que el desarrollo integral de la competencia en traducción jurídica exige metodologías interdisciplinares específicas para la resolución de problemas prácticos. El enfoque integrador que se propone en el presente artículo está orientado al proceso y hace hincapié en los conocimientos especializados propios de la traducción jurídica incluidos en la subcompetencia metodológica o estratégica, subcompetencia clave que controla las demás. Los conocimientos traductológicos y jurídicos se entrelazan inextricablemente a lo largo del proceso traductor, desde el análisis del skopos y la macrocontextualización jurídica iniciales hasta la fase final de revisión. Este enfoque, concebido como un continuo metarreflexivo entre la adquisición y el fortalecimiento de competencias y entre

Field-specific Conventions in the Translation of Commercial Law Documentation for Court Proceedings

“…Some exploratory research in this respect was conducted in the form of a survey (author, forthcoming-b), yet a community practice study focusing on judges and referendaries representing institutional practice could satisfactorily extend the findings by revealing a significant sociocultural perspective of the issue (Dodsworth, 2014: 262-275;Ostermann, 2015: 177-186). It is worth noting that working out a theoretical frame-work for consistent translation practice in this respect would undeniably be of great value for the teaching of translation in general (Prieto Ramos, 2011;Chodkiewicz, 2012) and/or preparing guidelines for sworn translators (Biel, 2011;Kubacki, 2012;Kubacki & Gościński, 2017;Zieliński, 2014).…”

Aplicaciones Didácticas Del Género Citación Judicial en La Traducción Jurídica Alemán-Español

“…En el caso específico de la traducción jurídica, también en los últimos años se han ofrecido modelos que desglosan los componentes competenciales que deben guiar los programas formativos de traductores jurídicos (Cao, 2014;Piecychna, 2013;Prieto, 2011Prieto, , 2013Scarpa & Orlando, 2017). Sintetizando estas propuestas sobre la base del modelo multicompetencial de Prieto (ob.…”

Horizontal and Vertical Distribution Patterns of Nearly-Synonymous Terms in the Language of Law

“…The inclusion of foreign words enables the paper to reach a wider circle of prospective readers by formulating an eye-catching title and including fashionable, foreign terms carries implications of referring to the latest references in the literature of the subject. 12 Somewhat beyond the mainstream type of descriptive legal texts, but out of the context of prescriptive and hybrid texts we can find another use of the term korporacja in yet another sense, as evidenced in the lexicographic sources and discussed in the literature of the subject. 13 Korporacja is testified to function as an assimilated borrowing of the English term corporation.…”

“…The term is often used in a pejorative sense in the context of a burn-out syndrome among the workforce. 17 The widespread use of korporacja in this 12 sense, that is as a synonym of a company or large-scale business, may be said to result from the intention to emphasise the foreign provenience of the concept related to the notion of entrepreneurship. As we know, many legal solutions come from the West and when we think about doing business we think in terms of foreign concepts and thus foreign terms.…”