On The Translating Of Intertextual Signals In Prescriptive Legal Texts

This thesis probes into the translating of intertextual signals in prescriptive legal texts, with a view to tackling the problem of the effective transference of intertextuality from ST to TT. It starts from the study of how intertextuality manifests itself through intertextual signals in legal texts, and then elaborates on the specific techniques of translating intertextual signals in legal texts, with intertextual equivalence between the ST and the TT proposed as the guiding principle for the translating thereof.Since translation is a process composed of understanding a ST and formulating a TT. Therefore, for the convenience of analysis, this paper mainly consists of two parts. The first part is devoted to the understanding of intertextuality in ST in legal translation. Following the typology of intertextuality proposed by Hatim & Mason, the present study analyzes the intertextuality from four levels: semantic, syntactic, textual and cultural. At the semantic level, intertextuality is characterized by the use of varied references, cliches, lexical reiteration and conventionalism; At the syntactic level, intertextuality may be detected from the structure of sentences; At the textual level, intertextuality in legal translation is largely embodied in genre, content, function and structure of both the source text and target text; At the cultural level, different legal systems and customs of people may have a powerful impact on the translating of legal documents.The second part of this thesis focuses on the study of how to recognize and translate various intertextual signals in legal texts. Since intertextuality is embodied in various intertextual signals, the interpretation and transference of intertextuality largely depends on the understanding and transference of intertextual signals thereof. Under the guiding principles of intertextualequivalence and legal equivalence, this paper tackles specific techniques for translating intertextual signals by examining ample examples. Through analysis, the author finds that: at semantic level, the translator may find correspondents or expands the semantic field of the original words to achieve the intertextual and legal equivalence; at the syntactic level, the sentence structures may be readjusted to mediate the source language intertextuality and the target language intertextuality; at the textual level, the textual structure of the legal text is usually strictly followed in translation with various generic intertextuality reflected in TT; finally, at the cultural level, the translator may employ creative ways such as paraphrasing, creating neologism, etc. to deal with conceptual incongruency due to differences between different legal systems and legal cultures.By conducting this research on intertextuality in prescriptive legal texts and on its transference to TT in translation, we hope it may shed light on the understanding, translating principle and methods of intertextuality and intertextual signals in legal texts.The present study may help to gain a deeper insight into legal translation from the point view of intertextuality and provide a new perspective into legal translation. It may also add to the existing body of research on intertextuality studies.