Tag: terms of art

Translating Across Legal Systems Part 2: Why Sources of Law Matter

  Every language professional working between Common Law and Civil Law countries knows the broad brushstrokes differences between both legal traditions. They all know, for example, that Common Law is judge-made law while Civil Law is codified or that Common Law is characterized by the doctrine of precedent while precedent is not (necessarily always) binding…
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January 8, 2019 1

Translating Across Legal Systems Part 1: Beyond the Basics

Every seasoned legal translator knows that understanding the differences between their source and target languages is the secret ingredient in the exceptional translation sauce. Experienced legal translators know what first, second, and third instance courts are called in both legal systems, why some but not all judges are called justices, why words like “magistrate” may…
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January 1, 2019 5