KEY ASPECTS OF LEGAL TERMINOLOGY TRANSLATION

Abstract

The article examines the key aspects of legal terminology translation as a complex and multifaceted field within translation studies. The relevance of the research is обусловлена the increasing level of international cooperation, which requires accurate and adequate translation of legal documents between representatives of different legal systems and cultures. Particular attention is paid to the issue of the lack of full equivalence between legal terms in different languages, which is обусловлена differences in legal systems, historical development, and sociocultural factors. The study analyzes the main approaches to defining translation transformations, including lexical, grammatical, and complex ones. It reviews the scholarly perspectives of Ukrainian and foreign researchers on the application of translation strategies in rendering legal concepts. The necessity of considering the systemic relationships between terms within each legal system to achieve translation adequacy is substantiated. The main methods of translating legal terminology are identified, including the use of lexical equivalents, calquing, transcription, transliteration, descriptive translation, approximate translation, and the creation of neologisms. The reasons for applying these transformations are analyzed, particularly structural and semantic differences between languages, as well as the specific nature of legal vocabulary, which is characterized by precision, unambiguity, and standardization. The importance of the translator’s professional competence is emphasized, as a legal translator must possess not only linguistic knowledge but also a solid understanding of the legal systems involved. It is argued that adequate translation of legal texts is possible only when communicative equivalence is achieved and semantic accuracy is preserved. The conclusions highlight that the main difficulties in translating legal terminology include polysemy, the absence of direct equivalents, and differences in linguistic structures. The study suggests applying a комплекс of translation transformations to improve translation quality. The findings can be used in the practice of legal translation as well as in the training of specialists in translation studies.