Legal Language and Legal Translation

This chapter delves into the peculiarities of legal language and legal translation. It first outlines the characteristics of the language of the law and what makes it unique in comparison to other sector-based languages. It focuses on legalese, which features the intricate aspect of legal language, and it highlights the many skills that legal translators are required to have in order to cope with the intricacies of legal discourse. Formulae (also referred to as formulaic expressions, or lexical phrases) are among the most challenging linguistic aspects that translators must become familiar with. They should not be rendered literally, as corresponding formulae must be sourced in the target language, provided that this is possible. Some tools that might be useful in this respect are corpora. This chapter provides insights into legal corpora and the ways scholars and researchers can use them to address legal language and carry out legal translation. Finally, the chapter focuses on alternatives to legalese and on other language models that legal drafters have embraced over the years; namely plain language, LELF (Legal English and as a Lingua Franca), and Eurolect (i.e., the legal language developed and adopted by European Institutions). The chapter explains how plain English, LELF and Eurolect have influenced and shaped legal language. There are also some considerations on legal corpora addressing LELF and Eurolect.