On November 30, 2018, Prof. Zhang Falian from China University of Political Science and Law delivered an academic report titled Legal Translation Teaching and Talent Cultivation in the Context of New Era. Our deputy dean, Prof. Wang Xinbo presided over the lecture and made comments.
Prof. Zhang discussed seven aspects around the topic of Foreign-related Legal Talent.
First of all, Prof. Zhang clearly points out the definition and nature of foreign-related legal talents: foreign-related legal talents are high-end compound talents with good understanding of law. And cultivating legal English talents is a necessary stage of training foreign-related legal talents.
Secondly, Prof. Zhang said there is a gap between the demanding service in the foreign-related legal industry and the shortage of domestic foreign-related legal talents. Therefore it is imperative to cultivate pertinent talents in view of national strategic development and policy orientation.
He also stressed that the important role foreign-related legal talents will play in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative. He said only high quality foreign-related legal talent team can safeguard the interests of our nation in the context of economic globalization and international trade disputes.
Prof. Zhang said legal English is the key to foreign-related legal work, and legal translation is an indispensable part of foreign-related legal services.
In addition, Prof. Zhang said that the legal translation work is not as simple as people think. It involves a series of issues concerning the understanding of different legal cultures and the overall transformation of different legal systems.
Prof. Zhang earnestly said to teachers and students that: legal translation is made, not taught. We should take the initiative to learn relevant knowledge.”
In addition, some suggestions are given in terms of legal translation teaching: strong faculty is the key; teachers should fully understand the recreating process of translation; in the process of teaching, teacher should guide student's legal quality, should be aware of the importance of placing legal translation teaching within the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary background.
At the end of the lecture, Prof. Zhang Falian proposed that a successful legal translation should follow the four basic principles of accuracy, preciseness, clarity, consistency and stylistic.
Prof. Zhang Falian, Professor of China University of Political Science and Law, adjunct professor of our college, chairman of China Association for Legal English Teaching &Testing. His major research fields include legal language, linguistic economics, American legal culture, diplomacy and American studies.
Translators：Deng Xiaoyue, Zhang Liping, Li Yunting
Proofreader: Xu Baohua
Tutor: Xu Baohua
