This
course deals with translating legal documents from English into Arabic, with a
special focus on understanding and translating a variety of legal contracts and
other business-related legal documents that commonly require English- Arabic
translation. Various aspects of business-related laws, such as corporate law,
environmental law, intellectual property law, will be introduced and relevant
documents from these areas studied and translated. Elements of legal writing
style as they relate to such documents will be introduced as essential
preparation for this type of formal translation work.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Recognise
the stylistic elements of legal language in both Arabic and English.
2. Produce
accurate and stylistically appropriate translations of legal texts in Arabic.
3. Identify the
major types of legal documents, specifically contracts and other
business-related legal documents.
4. Understand
such documents and the terminology used therein.
5. Evaluate and
properly address the needs of end-users in translating the different types of
legal documents discussed.
6. Evaluate and
appropriately apply the relevant translation norms to the translation of the
different types of legal documents discussed.
7. Demonstrate skills and techniques in
handling and translating contracts and other legal documents.
8. Identify common errors and edit
their own and others’ translation work.
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures present the material and provide bilingual
legal documents and translations for study and comparison. Tutorials are
designed to give ample opportunities for students to practice translating a
variety of legal texts, and to equip them with the ability to use legal
vocabulary in context. Each student is required to take part in a group project
and a presentation.
