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Translation - art & business » Legal »
Difficulties in translating French legal terms into English
Thread poster: Astrid Elke Witte
Astrid Elke Witte
Astrid Elke Witte  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 03:36
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
Nov 1, 2007

I would like to ask if there are any specific French legal terms which you find particularly awkward to translate into English, and, if so, which ones? How do you overcome the problem?
 
telefpro
telefpro
Local time: 07:06
Portuguese to English
+ ...
This line, for example Nov 1, 2007

I found this phrase a bit difficult to translate into French( only the first line)

.........la souscription de parts donnant vocation à l'attribution en jouissance ou en propriété d'immeubles d'habitation ou la vente d'immeubles à construire ou de location-accession à la propriété immobilière..............

You do get such construction which is a typical FRENCH legal jargon.
 
nordiste
nordiste  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 03:36
English to French
+ ...
Salon Juridique Nov 1, 2007

I am not translating in the legal field but I have a personal interest in our French legal system.

There are differents shows and conferences in November, including a training course in Paris organised by Le Village de la justice, Legiteam et Anderson Legal in Paris in November.

Might be of interest for translators too.... See more
I am not translating in the legal field but I have a personal interest in our French legal system.

There are differents shows and conferences in November, including a training course in Paris organised by Le Village de la justice, Legiteam et Anderson Legal in Paris in November.

Might be of interest for translators too.

http://www.salonjuridique.com/seminaire-anglais2.php

Sorry Astrid, I do not really answer to your question on a theoretical point of view. ▲ Collapse
 
Jennifer Forbes
Jennifer Forbes  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:36
French to English
+ ...
In memoriam
An excellent legal dictionary Nov 1, 2007

Astrid Elke Johnson wrote:

I would like to ask if there are any specific French legal terms which you find particularly awkward to translate into English, and, if so, which ones? How do you overcome the problem?


An excellent French-English-French legal dictionary is:
F.H.S. Bridge, The Council of Europe Legal Dictionary. It's thoroughly reliable, in my experience, and well worth the fairly modest investment - tax deductible.
I bought it from Grant & Cutler (marvellous multi-lingual bookshop) in Great Marlborough Street, London W.1., but doubtless it's available via Amazon, etc.
Also helpful is Dahl's French-English Law Dictionary - I think I got it from the same shop. Full of explanations as well as terminological translations.
Best of luck,
Jenny.
 
CFK TRAD
CFK TRAD  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 03:36
English to French
+ ...
Adding a reference to Jenny's bibliography. Nov 1, 2007

Hi everybody !

There's another great legal ENFR bilingual dictionnary, which is commonly used in French law schools.

It's the "Dictionnaire économique et juridique Navarre", by J. Baleste, A. Kurgansky, Ch. Laroche and J. Spindler, published by L.G.D.J. (the leader of legal publications in France).

Kindest Regards,

Coralie.
 
Astrid Elke Witte
Astrid Elke Witte  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 03:36
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I didn't ask about dictionaries or courses, though Nov 3, 2007

Perhaps my question was not very clear, but I was asking if anyone could come up with examples of untranslatable or hard-to-translate words or short terms. This would, for example, include concepts of French law that have no exact equivalent in English. I was asking if you could suggest any terms which might fall into this category. If you can specify any terms of this kind with which you have had experience, what are they and how do you convey to the target reader what they mean?

A... See more
Perhaps my question was not very clear, but I was asking if anyone could come up with examples of untranslatable or hard-to-translate words or short terms. This would, for example, include concepts of French law that have no exact equivalent in English. I was asking if you could suggest any terms which might fall into this category. If you can specify any terms of this kind with which you have had experience, what are they and how do you convey to the target reader what they mean?

Astrid ▲ Collapse
 


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Difficulties in translating French legal terms into English


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