Achieving Accuracy in Azerbaijani English Legal Document Translation: Challenges and Strategies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.010328Keywords:
legal translation, Azerbaijani–English, Skopos theory, dynamic equivalence, terminology, translation accuracy, legal terminologyAbstract
Accurate translation of government and legal documents from Azerbaijani to English is critical in an increasingly globalized context. This article examines the theoretical and practical dimensions of ensuring accuracy in such translations, drawing on linguistics and translation studies. It outlines key frameworks – Skopos Theory, Equivalence Theory, and Dynamic Equivalence – and discusses their application to Azerbaijani–English legal translations. Major challenges, including terminological non-equivalence, cultural-legal discrepancies, and risks of lost legal precision, are analyzed through real case examples of treaties, asylum documents, and contracts. The article then proposes strategies to enhance accuracy: thorough pre-translation briefings, use of bilingual legal dictionaries and terminology databases, translation memory tools for consistency, and collaboration with legal experts. These strategies are evaluated in light of existing empirical research and translation corpus studies. The discussion highlights that a combination of functional and equivalence-based approaches, supported by technology and expert input, can significantly improve translation accuracy. Ensuring accuracy is shown to be not only a linguistic endeavor but also a legal and cultural imperative.
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