The law of England and Wales: translation in transition

Authors

  • Catrin Fflur Huws Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs Prifysgol Aberystwyth/Aberystwyth University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsll.v22i1.24360

Keywords:

Government of Wales Act 2006, statutory interpretation, expert witness, devolution, bilingual law

Abstract

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.

Author Biography

  • Catrin Fflur Huws, Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs Prifysgol Aberystwyth/Aberystwyth University
    Catrin Fflur Huws is a lecturer in Law at Aberystwyth University. She is also the director of the Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs, a research centre dedicated to the Department's expertise and work on the law as it applies within Wales and on general legal developments of relevance to Wales.

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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