2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

ARAB5090M Advanced English/Arabic Legal Translation

15 creditsClass Size: 20

Module manager: Dr Hanem El-Farahaty
Email: H.El-Farahaty@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

Students need to Pass in English-Arabic translation test

This module is mutually exclusive with

MODL5019M

Introduction to Legal Translation

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module combines theory and practice to train students, to translate different English/Arabic legal text types, determine the translation procedures for the difficult linguistic, culture-specific (Classical Islamic terminology) and system-bound areas (Common/Civil Law vs Sharia Law terminology and critically comment on them).Students will practice their translation skills through a hands-on practical approach to translation using a variety of methods (e.g. independent, autonomous, corpus-based and group activities), using the Leeds Corpora of Arabic/English Constitutions (a new creative method of translator training at Leeds).Students will have a greater chance to analyse texts, identify the challenges of such text on the micro and macro levels and reflect on the most appropriate techniques of translating them. This combination is pertinent to the learning outcomes with their focus on fostering both theoretical and professional/practical knowledge. By giving students an opportunity to develop a specialized area of translation expertise, this module will be useful for those wishing to go on to work as professional legal translators, pursue a career in HEA institutions or complete their PhD studies.

Objectives

The main objective of this module is to examine the wide range of translation, writing and editing problems encountered by English/Arabic translators working at different legal and international organisations. Focusing on the translation activities practised in different legal bodies, national and international, human rights organisations which use Arabic translation as part of their day-to-day activities. This module explores the translation strategies used in dealing with translation problems in different legal text types. Through a problem-solving approach, the students will be introduced to the lexical, syntactic and stylistic features of a wide variety of legal text types and will gain a thorough understanding of the dynamics of translating them from and into Arabic, bearing in mind linguistic, cultural differences as well as asymmetric legal systems and in light of the institutional guidelines, the function of the text, the readership/audience, and the medium of publication/delivery.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will have acquired the ability to:
1. Understand the institutional contexts, codes of practice within which English/Arabic translation is practised in different legal bodies, human rights organisations, among others.
2. Develop conceptual tools for identifying the different legal text types used in different legal bodies and organisations.
3. Develop conceptual tools for identifying the difficult linguistic, culture-specific and system-bound areas of legal translation between English and Arabic (e.g. classical Islamic banking terminology) which are pertinent to each of these text types.
4. Develop translation, revision and editing skills of the different text types used in different legal bodies and organisations.
5. Use-corpus-based tools, available term bases and glossaries to translate legal terminology.
6. Reflect critically on their own translation performance, using both their theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

Syllabus

The syllabus will usually cover areas including the following: the institutional context, the codes of practice and translation policies and the style guides in international organisations; legal text types and features of English and Arabic legal texts; lexical, culture-specific/religious, system-based, grammatical and stylistic difficulties of translating English/Arabic legal texts. The translation tasks will focus on areas including the following: translation of official legal documents (leases, certificates, personal status laws); translation of contracts and statutes; translation of international and legislative texts (e.g. UN agreements, constitutions).

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	5	2.00	10.00
Seminar	5	2.00	10.00
Private study hours			180.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

The time for private study and independent learning covers independent reading (60 hrs), preparation of translations to be discussed in class (20 hrs) and working on two translation assignments (40 hrs).

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Translation assignments
Designated feedback sessions (one per semester)
Student questionnaires/surveys
Personal tutee appointments
Office hours

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Assignment 1: 600-800-word translation	40.00
Assignment	Assignment 2: 1000-1200-word translation	60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 23/07/2024

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