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Article published In:
Legal and institutional translation: Functions, processes, competences
Edited by Fernando Prieto Ramos
[Target 33:2] 2021
► pp. 183–206

Legal meta-comments in the think-aloud protocols of legal translators and lawyers

A qualitative analysis

ORCID logo | University of Geneva

In order to ensure successful subprocesses within the overall legal translation process, a correct and comprehensive understanding of the source text is crucial. Legal translators must be able to grasp all the legal, linguistic, communicative, and situational dimensions of the text. The focus of this study is on the cognitive processes involved in the first reading phase of the legal translation process and, in particular, on the question of whether legal translators and lawyers have different text reception processes. By analysing the think-aloud protocols recorded in a mixed-methods study, legal meta-comments (LMCs) from translators and lawyers are examined and compared. The results suggest that the two groups approach the text from different angles, which leads to some suggestions for further developing the training of legal translators.

Keywords: legal translation, legal translation studies, think-aloud protocols, translation process research, cognitive translation studies, translator training
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Legal translation: Competence – process – training
  • 3.Experimental design and material
  • 4.Results from the analysis of the TAPs
    • 4.1Legal meta-comments (LMCs)
    • 4.2Frequency and distribution of LMCs in the participant groups
    • 4.3Discussion
  • 5.Conclusions and suggestions for legal translation training
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 6 April 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.21038.gri
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