Translating Law into a Dictionary. A Terminographic Model

The purpose of the paper is to present a model dictionary which could serve as a tool for professional translators of legal texts. Firstly, the methodological approach which was adopted in order to create the model is delineated. It is based on the combined specialist knowledge of three disciplines, namely terminography, translation studies and law. Subsequently, the notion of the translation dictionary as a separate type of terminological dictionary is presented, with particular emphasis on the unit of translation and translation equivalence. The following part of the paper characterises translation of legal texts and its implications concerning the needs of the translator as well as the role of the dictionary in the translation process. Finally, the paper proposes a model dictionary, constructed according to the methodological rules determined at the beginning and in the light of the conclusions drawn from the following analysis.