Challenges of Terminological Equivalence in Translation: A Translation of “Loi n° 2012-21 portant lutte contre le financement du térrorisme en République du Benin

ABSTRACT

The legal translation of terminological equivalence cannot be performed without considering legal cultural concepts and differences between legal systems. The level of equivalence of the terms depends on how legal systems relate and not on that of the languages involved. Given that culture is one of the key factors for quality translation of a legal document, thorough research on the cultures involved cannot afford to be overlooked. For this purpose, this study analyses this area based on the study of a voted version of Law no 2012-21 Against financing of terrorism in the Republic of Benin. It first examines relevant theoretical frameworks and translation practices. Then a chapter presents the source text of the document which serves as the object of our research and its translation. Moreover, an analysis which critically focuses on the target text in terms of terminological and equivalence issues encountered during the translation process are presented with proofs to back up the solutions to such challenges. And thereafter, on the basis of survey results, the paper basically makes some recommendations which could be considered useful for translators and even studenttranslators.