법률 번역 이해를 위한 기호학적 접근 제안

This study aims to employ a semiotic approach to increase the understanding of legal translation. Although international exchanges have become an important part of our life than ever before, Korea has seen little research effort concerning translation of legal texts. Prior research has primarily focused on individual translation strategies or methods, and education. The macro discussion on how to understand and approach legal translation is limited. To date, literal and free translation and the Skopos Theory have been at the center of discussion on legal translation. They also have important implications, but are insufficient to explain unique, diverse characteristics of legal translation. Since legal translation is also communication, it can be described as an act of translating signs governed by various layers of codes. It is important to understand the relations between signs and the things to which they refer, and the codes they are based on, in order to produce the same legal effect of the source text in the target text. In this study, concepts such as signifier and signified, syntagmatic and paradigmatic, and code are borrowed from semiotics. The semiotic approach helps overcome disputes deriving from previous discussions and makes it possible to produce so-called ‘accurate’ legal translation. An increased understanding of legal translation is the very beginning which enables translators to reinforce concerned competence by establishing proper strategies and educational models.