СURRENT ISSUES IN THE TRANSLATION OF LEGAL TEXTS: LINGUISTIC AND LEGAL DIMENSIONS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of problems, difficulties and specifics of legal translation as one of the most complex types of highly specialised translation. It has been proven that legal translation is one of the most complex and responsible areas of translation activity. Its specificity lies not only in the accuracy of conveying the content, but also in the need to reflect the legal system of the country whose language is the target language. Errors in the translation of legal documents can have serious legal consequences, ranging from misinterpretation of contract terms to litigation and financial losses.

The main factors affecting the quality of legal translation have been identified, in particular the differences between legal systems, the dynamic nature of legislation, the complexity of terminology, cultural characteristics and the requirements for the professional competence of translators. The paper reviews the state of scientific research in the field of legal translation and highlights the main trends and challenges of today. In addition, translators must constantly monitor changes in the legislation of both the source country and the target country. This is especially important when translating contracts, regulations or court documents. Accordingly, up-to-date knowledge is a key requirement for professional competence.

In practice, translators also encounter syntactic and punctuation difficulties. Legal texts are often characterised by complex syntactic structures: long sentences, passive constructions, and numerous clarifications. The translator must not only convey the content accurately, but also preserve the formal style of the document. Punctuation rules (in particular, the Oxford comma) can lead to ambiguities in translation if differences between language systems are not taken into account.

Ways to improve the quality of legal document translation in the context of international communication are proposed.

To ensure the quality of legal translation, it is necessary to develop specialised glossaries, provide regular training for translators in the field of law, create conditions for interdisciplinary cooperation between lawyers and translators, and develop quality standards in the field of translation services.

The development of legal translation is an important condition for effective international cooperation, Ukraine's integration into the global legal space, and ensuring the legal security of communications.