Terminological equivalence in legal translation: A semiotic approach
- 1 January 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH in Semiotica
- Vol. 2008 (172), 33-45
- https://doi.org/10.1515/semi.2008.088
Abstract
Equivalence has been a critical issue in translation, as well as in legal translation. Based on a literature review of the concept of equivalence and analysis of the features of legal discourses, the article adopts a semiotic approach to the translation of legal terms. By adapting some principal propositions in semiotics, the paper argues that total equivalence can be achieved via meta-lingual adjustment, because a sign is not born with meaning but invested with reference by a sign user. The paper also provides some linguistic strategies for realizing terminological equivalence in legal translation, such as the use of a semantic reference scheme, componential analysis, and the principle of productivity and economy.Keywords
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