Includes bibliographical references (p. 281-298) and index.

Introduction - legal texts and legal translation; history of legal translation; legal translation - an act of communication within the mechanism of the law; the changing role of the legal translator; what all translators should know about legal texts; creativity in legal translation; the translation of multilateral instruments; terminological problems of legal translation; conclusion - the future of legal translation.

A comprehensive study of legal translation, this volume is an interdisciplinary work in law and translation theory. The main focus of the book is upon the translation of texts which are authoritative sources of the law; examples are cited primarily from statutes, codes and constitutions (Canada, Switzerland and Belgium), as well as instruments of the European Union and international treaties and conventions. Dealing with theoretical as well as practical aspects of the subject matter, the author analyzes legal translation as an act of communication in the mechanism of law, making it necessary to redefine the goal of legal translation.