Abstract
The declaration of Belgian independence in 1830 constituted a major turning point in Belgian language history: French was almost instantly installed as the only official language in public offices and judicial cases, which left the majority of Flemish citizens unable to understand or reply to official documents. While the monolingual French authorities quickly recognized the necessity of providing Flemish translations of laws and decrees, numerous Flemish jurists and officials criticized these official translations for being inadequate, since they contained several errors in syntax and legal terminology. This criticism led to a flow of new translations and ideological commentaries, especially in newly created Flemish legal journals. My contribution seeks to point out the key role of these journals in the process of emancipation and standardization of the Flemish legal language and in the creation of a proper Flemish legal culture. My focus is on the first volume of the legal journal Rechtskundig Tijdschrift voor Vlaamsch-België (1897–98), which actively supported the coming into being of a Flemish legal language and identity. This journal published translations of important francophone judgements, annotated translations of laws and decrees as they appeared in the government journal Moniteur belge, and numerous discussions of jurists on the Flemish legal language.
Highlights
The role of language in shaping ideas and views on citizenship in multilingual communities has constituted a key topic of interest for scholars across several disciplines, both in the past and present
This journal constitutes an interesting case in the history of Flemish legal journals, since unlike its predecessors, Het Vlaamsch Bestuur (1889–1909) and Bestuurlijk Tijdschrift voor Vlaamsch-België (1889–99), it could rely on several influential jurists to contribute to the journal’s content, and while it would suffer from an irregular publication rhythm, it was the only Flemish legal journal established in the nineteenth century that would exist until the late twentieth century
The Rechtskundig Tijdschrift voor Vlaamsch-België holds a special place in the history of Flemish legal journals, if only because it was the only Flemish legal journal created in the nineteenth century that managed to survive until the twentieth century
Summary
To cite this article: Heleen Van Gerwen, ‘“In Vlaanderen Vlaamsch!” Translation Practices in Flemish Legal Journals: The Case of Rechtskundig Tijdschrift voor VlaamschBelgië (1897–98)’, Journal of European Periodical Studies, 2.1 (Summer 2017), 3–20
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