Two dimensions of the intersemiotic legal translation in digital environments. Programming legal acts as a resemiotization process

Abstract

An intersemiotic legal translation involves at least two different semiotic codes, of which at least one is not verbal. The authors will draw a distinction between two macro dimensions of legal translation in digital environments. The first can be schematized in one direction from the machine to the user. Intersemiotic translation is applied in the creation of interfaces (creation of buttons, forms, digital procedures) that are conditions of possibility for the fulfillment of certain legal acts (the acceptance of a user agreement, the purchase of a material or digital asset, the request for a particular document to the PA). The second dimension can be schematized in a direction that goes from the user to the machine. In this case, the user plays the role of the translator since he transposes, through the frontend, his contractual intent from natural language to machine language, using tools available to him by the developer. For example, a team of developers can exploit a Content Management Systems (CMS), which exposes two main interfaces, namely those that connect those who develop the interfaces and those who use them. Respectively, a backend that allows configuring the operating environment (user to machine) and, a frontend that exposes the communication interfaces with the end user (machine to user).