Introduction to Legal Translation - 4 credits

Because a legal document bears legal liabilities, the translation of a legal document has the same legal effect as the original. As a result, the requirements for accuracy in legal translation (meaning, tone, and style) are quite high. This course provides an overview of the nature of legal translation and an introduction to the principles of comparative law, i.e. how to research legal issues in the countries of the language pair. The concepts of equivalence and zero equivalence are analyzed. Participants translate different types of agreements; certificates; and affidavits as well as a wide array of documents focusing on probate, family, poverty, and criminal law. Students are given assignments on the research approach, steps, and skills needed to tackle a legal translation project from start to finish. Fundamental legal translation theory will be emphasized at the beginning of the course and are conveyed in the form of assigned readings, lectures, class discussions, and independent research.