LOST IN LEGAL TRANSLATION: THE IMPACT OF AI ON THE LEGAL TRANSLATION PROCESS

Andreea-Maria Sărmașiu

Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Abstract

The legal translation activity is about decisions or strategies. Legal translators use all the available information about extratextual and intratextual elements, legal-linguistic-cultural knowledge to overcome difficulties and solve problems in order to form and develop their competences. Forming and developing translation competences is a strategy that can lead to pre-translation decisions (research, thematic or transcultural competence), translation decisions (technical competence) or post-translation decisions (communicative competence), depending on the translator’s ability to overcome difficulties, to solve problems and to master all the competences needed. Therefore, the question which arises in this particular context is: which is the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in view of these decisions? Does it help or hinder legal translators and the legal translation process? This paper deals with investigating the three main phases of legal translation, i.e. the pre-translation, the translation and the post-translation phases, based on the decisions or strategies used as mechanisms by translators in order to develop their translation competence. In our study, the investigation will be made via two main directions: a “traditional” legal translation process and an “artificial” legal translation process through a comparative analysis based on theoretical and practical approaches. This research will try to show the impact of AI on the legal translation field in accordance with the translator’s abilities and his/her decisions or strategies implemented before, during and after the legal translation process.

Keywords: Legal translation; Impact; AI; Decisions; Translator’s abilities.

References

Alcaraz, E., & Hughes, B. (2002). Legal translation explained. Manchester: St Jerome.

Baker, M. (1992). In other words. A coursebook on translation. London: Routledge.

Ballard, M. (Ed.). (1993). La traduction à l’université. Recherches et propositions didactiques. (1-ère édition). Lille: Presses Universitaires de Lille.

Bassnett, S. (2002). Translation studies. (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.

Biel, Ł., & Engberg, J. (2013). Research models and methods in legal translation. Linguistica Antverpiensia, New Series – Themes in Translation Studies, 12, 1-11. doi: https://doi.org/10.52034/lanstts.v12i.316

Cao, D. (2007). Translating law. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Education Press.

European Commission, DG Translation. (2022). European Master’s in Translation Competence Framework 2022, Retrieved November 1^st, 2024, from: https://commission.europa.eu/news/updated-versionemt-competence-framework-now-available-2022-10-21_en.

Gotti, M., & Šarčević, S. (Eds.). (2006). Insights into specialized translation. Bern: Peter Lang.

Jakobson, R. (2000). On linguistics aspects of translation. In L. Venuti (Ed.), The translation studies reader (pp. 113-118). London and New York: Routledge.

Munday, J. (2001). Introducing translation studies. London and New York: Routledge.

Neubert, A., & Gregory M. Shreve. (1992). Translation as text. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press.

Newmark, P. (1981). Approaches to translation. Oxford and New York: Pergamon Press.

Newmark, P. (1988). A textbook of translation. New York: Prentice Hall.

Nida, E., & Taber, C.R. (1969). The theory and practice of translation. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

Nord, C. (1991). Text analysis in translation: Theory, methodology and didactic application of a model for translation-oriented text analysis. Amsterdam: Rodopi.

Prieto Ramos, F. (2014). Legal translation studies as interdiscipline: Scope and evolution. Meta Journal, 59(2), 260-277. doi: https://doi.org/10.7202/1027475ar

Reiss, K., & Vermeer, H. J. (1984). General foundations of translation theory. Tubingen: Niemeyer.

Šarčević, S. (2000). New approach to legal translation. The Hague: Kluwer Law International.

Sărmașiu, A. (2024). Investigating the translatability of legal texts. Designing effective transfer strategies for legal translations. Cluj-Napoca: Presa Universitară Clujeană.

Vinay, J.P., & Darbelnet, J. (1958). Stylistique comparée du francais et de l'anglais: Méthode de traduction. Paris: Didier.

How to cite this article: Sărmașiu, A.-M. (2024). Lost in legal translation: The impact of AI on the legal translation process. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 17(3), 159–176. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2024.17.3.9

For details on subscription, go to: http://jolie.uab.ro/index.php?pagina=-&id=19&l=en