SEMANTIC PECULIARITIES, SPECIFICS OF TRANSLATION OF MODERN ENGLISH LEGAL TERMINOLOGY

Abstract

Semantic peculiarities and characteristics, specifics of translation of modern legal terminology were highlighted in the given article. The sciences with which it is closely intertwined were also singled out. The views of various well-known scholars on the issue of research were explored. The four main approaches to researching the modern English legal terminology were determined. The connection of polysemy and synonymy with the research problem (subject) were analyzed. Different cases of terminological homonyms are presented in the framework of the study of legal terminology. The specifics of legal terminology use in the process of texts translation were also outlined. Terminology as a subsystem of a language lexical system is an object of investigation in modern linguistics. The problem of term status was once a hotly debated issue due to constant attempts to contrast terms with regular expressions used in languages. Any specific terminology is a mirror of the conceptual system of a given branch of science in the form of a TS included in a terminological dictionary. That system performs the function of the lexical system of a language within a particular science. Language units that express specific concepts that pertain to the theory and practice of jurisprudence and serve to characterize and identify it are regarded as legal terms. The main issues involved with terms are: professional use, terms associated with specific concepts, the preciseness of meaning, existence of a definition, stylistic neutrality and the issue of a term’s association with a TS. A terminological system corresponds to a term field in terms of its systemic relationships. Polysemy is a great source of a TS enrichment. The reason for this is that the more deeply a particular phenomenon is investigated, the more likely one can observe that different concepts are hidden under one and the same word. When the semantic link is broken, however, we can observe the breakdown of polysemy and the appearance of homonymy. In contrast to polysemy, which involves variation on the level of meaning/content, synonymy involves variation on the level of form/expression. Translation of terminology is a very complicated work. The basis of this activity is the visual and auditory perception of information in the original language, its understanding, reproduction in the native language of the translator. All terms, abbreviations, symbols must be unified. The translator of legal terminology should use printed publications, which cover the latest scientific and legal issues, problems, changes and amendments in the system of legislation in his/her work.