Translating or editing a text authored in the field of law frequently means having to deal with footnotes. This task can present a number of distinct challenges since citation conventions in the legal world are not always identical to conventions employed in other disciplines. Moreover, citation conventions in the (foreign) source language will often not align with those typical in English, making direct translation problematic and idiomatic phrasing elusive. In order to work efficiently, avoid inconsistency, and produce a text that will ultimately meet the needs of the target readers, it is essential that the editor/translator be familiar with the basics of legal citation and be aware of the particular issues – and pitfalls – that are likely to present themselves when editing or translating citations.
Using the Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA) as a road map, participants will be presented with basic information on footnoting and the citation of legal sources. The talk will focus on key aspects associated with the citation of court cases, legislation and academic literature. The discussion will highlight relevant distinctions and characteristics amongst these three central sources in respect of citation. The presentation will outline recommended practices in terms of page references, cross-references, abbreviations, and the use of signalling language.
The session is geared towards language professionals specialized or interested in legal editing/legal translation and also individuals working generally with academic writing.
About the presenter: Michael Friedman is an academic editor with the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg, Germany, and an adjunct lecturer at Bucerius Law School. Prior to relocating to Europe, he practised law in the United States for approximately 10 years.
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