IMPLICATIONS OF BAD TRANSLATION OF LEGAL TERMS ON A JUDICIAL CASE: PERSPECTIVES OF ARABIC TRANSLATORS

Abstract

The question of translation accuracy is at the core of the field of translation studies. Despite the abundance of tools for evaluating translation quality, hardly anything is understood about the consequences of a poorly done translation. Students of translation often find the legal system to be one of the most complex. The translation of judicial documents from English to Arabic and from Arabic to English is particularly challenging due to the differences in linguistic system, legal permutations, and cultural variety between the two cultures. Equally, practitioners of translation use various methods for coping with these challenges. The purpose of this research was to look at the obstacles and issues that Arabic translators have while working on statutory documents and the methods they employ to overcome them. In addition, the story of a wrongful conviction Mazhar Hussain in Pakistan brought about by the inaccurate translation of legal concepts is presented in the paper. This survey gathered the opinions of Arabic translators. Over 70 Arabic translators took part in the survey, which was distributed online. According to the results, the most difficult aspects of translating legal contracts into Arabic are the use of binominal phrases and paralleled structures, the construction of legal sentences, the handling of numerous negatives, and the arrangement of legal texts. Poor translation of legal precepts has far-reaching consequences, as shown by the reported instance of wrongful conviction in Pakistan. The study's findings have significant implications for those working in the field of translation education, as well as for those developing curricula for it. As a result, it's clear that those who translate legal codes require education in the nuances of different legal systems, the influence of other cultures, and the wider repercussions of doing things wrong.