Difficulties in Finding Terminological Equivalence: A Case of Translating the First Ottoman Constitution from Arabic into English

Transcription

1 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES UMM AL QURA UNIVERSITY MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA Difficulties in Finding Terminological Equivalence: A Case of Translating the First Ottoman Constitution from Arabic into English A Research Project for the Master of Arts Degree in Translation Prepared By: Najat B. Al-Huthali Supervised By: Dr. Abdulfatah J. Bostanji January, 2013

2 Chapter 1: Introduction Translation is a complex process, especially in regard to legal translation. Legal documents are often used in legal proceedings where the original meaning must be maintained even after translation. Legal translators are obliged to deliver accurate translations due to the fact that any mistake in legal translations could lead to a legal misjudgement. This is why legal translators are the most in need to find the most suitable equivalent in the TL. However, finding terminological equivalence is the most challenging task in legal translation. Legal terminology is very complex and varies from one legal system to another. This study investigates the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence in the target legal texts. Therefore, my translation of the first Ottoman Empire Constitution is an attempt to find solutions to this problem. The first Constitution of the Ottoman state was proclaimed by Sultan Abdulhamid II in This constitution was drafted by a board under the chairmanship of Midhat Pasha by using Belgian and Prussian Constitutions as sources. Although this constitution remained in effect only for a short period, it was reintroduced in 1908 with amendments made in 1909 (Bozkurt, 1992). Therefore, it represents the first adaptation of constitutional law in the Ottoman Empire as well as in the Arab world. However, it is chosen in this study to represent the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence. 1.1: Aims of the Research This study aims to answer the following research questions: 1-What are the reasons behind the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence in legal texts? 2-What are the factors to be considered when solving this problem? 10

3 3-What kind of translation procedures could be used to achieve terminological equivalence? 4-What is the best procedure used to achieve terminological equivalence? 1.2: Methodology of the Research For the purpose of this study, the first Constitution of the Ottoman Empire is chosen to represent the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence, a challenge encountered by legal translators when translating legal documents. The terms which represent these difficulties are identified in order to examine the translation procedures to be used in translating these terms. The model chosen for identifying the problematic terms is an adaptation of Cao's four major terminological areas which pose a problem in legal translation with some modifications made in the present study. 1.3: Data Collection Most of the data are hard copies. Some of these hard copies were stored in electronic databases in PDF form. However, some of these data are online sources such as online journals, online dictionaries, and so on. 1.4: Layout of the Study This study consists of four chapters. Chapter 1 presents the aims of the study, methodology of the research, and data collection. Chapter 2 presents the literature review of this study. It is divided into two parts. Part 1 discusses the literature on legal terminology. It sheds light on the most common features of legal terminology as well as the categories of legal terminology. Part 1 is an attempt to familiarise readers with 11

4 ملخص البحث تبحث هذه الدراسة عن الصعوبات في إيجاد المكافي اللفظي في الترجمة القانونية من اللغة العربية إلى اللغة الا نجليزية. وتحلل المشكلة في ضوء ترجمة الدستور العثماني الا ول. وبداية تبحث هذه الدراسة في الا طار النظري ذو الصلة الذي يكشف مميزات وفي ات المصطلحات القانونية وآذلك الا سباب الكامنة وراء الصعوبات في إيجاد المكافي اللفظي والعوامل التي ينبغي أخذها في الاعتبار عند حل هذه المشكلة وطرق الترجمة التي يمكن استخدامها للوصول الى المكافي اللفظي. ثم تحدد المشكلات اللفظية التي ظهرت في ترجمة الوثيقة المختارة وتناقش أيضا طرق الترجمة التي حلت هذه المشكلات. وبناء على النتاي ج المق دمه في هذه الدراسة تم استنتاج أن طبيعة القانون و الا نظمة القانونية هي السببين الري يسيين وراء صعوبات إيجاد المكافي اللفظي. وبالتالي فا ن المصطلحات الثقافية هي الا آثر صعوبة عند ترجمتها. وتوصي هذه الدراسة أن المترجمين القانونيين يجب أن يحددوا غرض الترجمة وأن يختاروا النظام القانوني المترجم إليه لا ن آل نظام قانوني يستخدم مصطلحات قانونية خاصة به و تو ثر هذه العوامل أيضا على طرق الترجمة التي سوف يستخدمها المترجم. 9

5 Abstract This study investigates the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence in legal translation from Arabic into English. It analyses the problem based on translating the first Ottoman Empire Constitution. It first examines the relevant theoretical framework in which the features and categories of legal terminology as well as the reasons behind the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence, the factors to be considered when solving this problem, and the translation procedures which could be used to achieve terminological equivalence are explored. Then, it identifies the terminological issues which have been encountered in translating the selected document and also discusses the translation procedures which resolve these issues. On the basis of the analysis and findings presented in this study, it is concluded that the nature of law and legal systems are the main reasons behind the difficulties in finding terminological equivalence. Thus, culture-bound terms represent the most problematic terms to be translated. It is recommended that legal translators must determine the skopos of the translation and choose a target legal system because each legal system uses its own legal terminology. Also, these factors affect the translation procedures to be used by the translator. 8

6 TABLE OF CONTENT No Content Acknowledgement Table of Contents List of Tables List of Appendices List of Abbreviations Abstract ملخص البحث Aims of the Research Methodology of the Research Data Collection Layout of the Study Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Literature Review Part 1 Legal Terminology Features of Legal Lexicon in English and Arabic Culture-Bound Terms Archaisms Loan Words Common Words with Uncommon Meanings Terms of Art Use of Doublets and Triplets Words of Over-precision Deliberate Use of Vague Words Frequent Use of Formal Words and Phrases Categories of Legal Vocabulary Purely Technical Terms Semi-Technical or Mixed Terms Everyday Vocabulary Conclusion Part 2 Terminological Equivalence: A Translation Problem and Solutions Terminological Equivalence in Legal Translation Categories of Equivalence in Legal Translation Terminological Equivalence: A Translation Problem Considering Factors in Solving the Problem The Skopos/ Function of the Translation The Legal Systems Involved in the Translation The Relatedness of the Legal Systems Involved Comparative Law Solutions to the Problem of Terminological Equivalence Page

7 Functional Equivalence Transcription Paraphrasing Neologism Conclusion Chapter 3 Discussion of Findings Introduction The Lexical Features of the Corpus The Problem of Terminological Equivalence in the Corpus Cao's Categorization of Terminological Problems Translating Legal Concepts Translating System-Bound Words Legal Synonyms Archaisms Conclusion Chapter 4 Conclusion Answering the Research Questions Results Recommendations for Further Study Bibliography Appendices

8 List of Tables No. Table Page Table (1) Examples of Translating English Archaisms into Arabic 17 Table (2) Examples of Common Words with Uncommon Meanings 19 Table (3) Examples of English Terms of Art in English and their 20 Equivalents in Arabic Table (4) Examples of Doublets and Triplets in English and their 21 Equivalents in Arabic Table (5) Examples of Vague Words Accompanying Vague Thoughts 23 Table (6) Arabic Legal Concepts which have Acceptable Equivalents in 47 English Table (7) Arabic Legal Concepts which have Partial Equivalents in 48 English Table (8) Words Associated with Legal Personnel 50 Table (9) The Ottoman Courts 52 Table (10) The Ottoman Councils 53 Table (11) Legal Synonyms 55 Table (12) Words which are still used in Arabic but with different 56 Meanings Table (13) Words which are Culture-Specific to the Ottoman Empire 59 5