The law of England and Wales: translation in transition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsll.v22i1.24360Keywords:
Government of Wales Act 2006, statutory interpretation, expert witness, devolution, bilingual lawAbstract
This article considers the role of the legal translator/interpreter in bilingual court proceedings. This is not, however, a situation where a non-English speaker gives oral evidence which is translated for the benefit of the court, but rather a situation where a court – the court in question being the Supreme Court of England and Wales – is unable to comprehend the bilingual text of the legislation. The interpreter is therefore called upon to explain the possible differences in meaning between the two versions. This article questions the extent to which the legal system is aware of the significance of these issues, and advocates re-evaluating the training requirements of legal interpreters.References
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Beaupré, M. (1988) Litigating the meaning of bilingual legislation. Advocates Quarterly 9: 32.
Canale, D. and Tuzet, G. (2007) On legal inferentialism: towards a pragmatics of semantic content in legal interpretation. Ratio Juris 20(11): 32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9337.2007.00345.x
Cao, D. (2007a) Inter-lingual uncertainty in bilingual and multilingual law. Journal of Pragmatics 39: 69–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2006.08.005
Cao, D. (2007b) Translating Law. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Fung, S. Y.-C. (1997) Interpretation of the bilingual legislation of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Law Journal 27: 206.
Grice, H. P. (1975) Logic and conversation. In P. Cole and J. Morgan (eds) Syntax and Semantics vol. 3 pages? New York: Academic Press.
Hughes, D. and Davies, H. (2012) Accessible bilingual legislation for Wales (Deddfwriaeth hygyrch a dwyieithog i Gymru). Statute Law Review 33(2): 103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/slr/hms019
Huws, C. F. (2012) Is meaning plain and ordinary? Are you sure about that? Statute Law Review 33(2): 230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/slr/hms018
Jamieson, J. (2011) English in the 2010s: getting up close and personal. Victoria University of Wellington Law Review 42: 343.
Legislation Committee of the National Assembly for Wales (2006) Bilingual lawmaking and justice: a report on the lessons for Wales from the Canadian experience of bilingualism. http://www.assemblywales.org/bilingual-lawmaking-e.pdf Site accessed 27 February 2013.
Melding, D. (2012) Foreword: issue on Welsh devolution. Statute Law Review 33(2): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/slr/hms022
Osmond, J. (2003) Laying the foundations. In J. Osmond and J.B. Jones (eds) Birth of Welsh Democracy: The First Term of the National Assembly for Wales xix–xxx. Cardiff: Institute of Welsh Affairs.
Robinson, D. (2007) Becoming a Translator: An Accelerated Course. London: Routledge.
Salembier, P. (2003) Rethinking the interpretation of bilingual legislation: the demise of the shared meaning rule. Ottawa Law Review 35: 75.
Venuti, L. (1995) The Translator’s Invisibility. London: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203360064
Watkin, T. G. (2007) The Legal History of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Welsh Government. (2013) Evidence paper. Evidence submitted by the Welsh Government to the Commission on Devolution in Wales. Issued 18 February 2013. http://wales.gov.uk/docs/caecd/publications/130215silkevidence.pdf Site accessed 26 February 2013.
Beaupré, M. (1988) Litigating the meaning of bilingual legislation. Advocates Quarterly 9: 32.
Canale, D. and Tuzet, G. (2007) On legal inferentialism: towards a pragmatics of semantic content in legal interpretation. Ratio Juris 20(11): 32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9337.2007.00345.x
Cao, D. (2007a) Inter-lingual uncertainty in bilingual and multilingual law. Journal of Pragmatics 39: 69–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2006.08.005
Cao, D. (2007b) Translating Law. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Fung, S. Y.-C. (1997) Interpretation of the bilingual legislation of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Law Journal 27: 206.
Grice, H. P. (1975) Logic and conversation. In P. Cole and J. Morgan (eds) Syntax and Semantics vol. 3 pages? New York: Academic Press.
Hughes, D. and Davies, H. (2012) Accessible bilingual legislation for Wales (Deddfwriaeth hygyrch a dwyieithog i Gymru). Statute Law Review 33(2): 103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/slr/hms019
Huws, C. F. (2012) Is meaning plain and ordinary? Are you sure about that? Statute Law Review 33(2): 230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/slr/hms018
Jamieson, J. (2011) English in the 2010s: getting up close and personal. Victoria University of Wellington Law Review 42: 343.
Legislation Committee of the National Assembly for Wales (2006) Bilingual lawmaking and justice: a report on the lessons for Wales from the Canadian experience of bilingualism. http://www.assemblywales.org/bilingual-lawmaking-e.pdf Site accessed 27 February 2013.
Melding, D. (2012) Foreword: issue on Welsh devolution. Statute Law Review 33(2): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/slr/hms022
Osmond, J. (2003) Laying the foundations. In J. Osmond and J.B. Jones (eds) Birth of Welsh Democracy: The First Term of the National Assembly for Wales xix–xxx. Cardiff: Institute of Welsh Affairs.
Robinson, D. (2007) Becoming a Translator: An Accelerated Course. London: Routledge.
Salembier, P. (2003) Rethinking the interpretation of bilingual legislation: the demise of the shared meaning rule. Ottawa Law Review 35: 75.
Venuti, L. (1995) The Translator’s Invisibility. London: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203360064
Watkin, T. G. (2007) The Legal History of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Welsh Government. (2013) Evidence paper. Evidence submitted by the Welsh Government to the Commission on Devolution in Wales. Issued 18 February 2013. http://wales.gov.uk/docs/caecd/publications/130215silkevidence.pdf Site accessed 26 February 2013.
Published
2015-07-08
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Huws, C. F. (2015). The law of England and Wales: translation in transition. International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, 22(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsll.v22i1.24360
