FALSE EQUIVALENTS IN ENGLISH-UZBEK TRANSLATION OF LEGAL TERMS: A PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE
Keywords:
false equivalents, legal terminology, English-Uzbek translation, pragmatic perspective, legal language, translation accuracy, cross-linguistic equivalence, legal discourse, contextual interpretation, bilingual legal documentsAbstract
This article explores the phenomenon of false equivalents in the English-Uzbek translation of legal terminology from a pragmatic perspective. Legal language is characterized by its high degree of precision and formality, making accurate translation essential for maintaining the intended legal effect. However, due to linguistic and cultural differences, literal translation often results in mismatches or "false equivalents" that distort meaning and legal interpretation. The study analyzes common instances where English legal terms are inadequately translated into Uzbek, examining the pragmatic implications such as ambiguity, loss of specificity, or unintended connotations. The paper also discusses the importance of contextual awareness and the translator’s legal competence in identifying and avoiding such false equivalents. Examples from bilingual legal documents, including contracts and legislative texts, are used to illustrate key translation challenges and offer practical strategies for improvement.
References
Biel, Ł. (2017). Lost in the Eurofog: The textual fit of translated law. Peter Lang.
Cao, D. (2010). Legal translation explained. Routledge.
Garzone, G., & Sarcevic, S. (Eds.). (2021). Language and legal interpretation in international law. Springer.
Matulewska, A. (2020). False Friends in Legal Translation—The Case of Polish and English. Comparative Legilinguistics, 42, 21–40. https://doi.org/10.14746/cl.2020.42.2
Mikkelson, H., & Jourdenais, R. (Eds.). (2015). The Routledge handbook of interpreting. Routledge.
Šarčević, S. (2019). Challenges to Legal Translation in the 21st Century. International Journal for the Semiotics of Law, 32(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-018-9571-0
Šarčević, S. (2015). New approaches to legal translation. Springer.
Trosborg, A. (2014). Legal language in action: Pragmatic approaches. In A. Trosborg (Ed.), Pragmatics across Languages and Cultures (pp. 147–175). De Gruyter.
Wagner, A., & Cacciaguidi-Fahy, S. (Eds.). (2012). Legal language and the search for clarity: Practice and tools. Peter Lang.
Zaleska, D. (2022). Equivalence in legal translation: Comparative and pragmatic approaches. International Journal of Legal Discourse, 7(2), 177–195. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijld-2022-0012
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
