LEGAL DICTIONARIES IN PRINT
A Selection for Translators and Legal Professionals
> Monolingual legal UK/US English Dictionaries
> Monolingual legal French Dictionaries
> Bilingual legal French < > English Dictionaries
> Canadian resource
> Jurilinguistic
> Bilingual legal English < > Spanish and French > Spanish Dictionaries
MONOLINGUAL LEGAL UK/US ENGLISH DICTIONARIES
US ENGLISH
GARNER, Bryan A. (Editor), Black's Law Dictionary, 8th ed., 2004
"The most widely-used law dictionary for the law of the United States, it has been cited as legal authority in many Supreme Court cases and it is the reference of choice for definitions in legal briefs and court opinions” (Wikipédia)
GARNER, Bryan A., NEWMAN, Jeff and JACKSON Tiger, The Redbook – A Manual of Legal Style, Thomson/West, 2nd ed, 2002, 399 p. Easy to use spiral paperback guide to the essential rules of legal writing; very sharp and intelligently written.
UK ENGLISH
LAW Jonathan, MARTIN A. (Editor), Elizabeth (Editor), Oxford Dictionary of Law, 6th edition, Oxford University Press, 2006
Focuses primarily on English law and provides a one-stop source of information for any of the many countries that base their legal system on English law. Can be downloaded on Microsoft Reader site: http://www.microsoft.com/reader/find/book.aspx?isbn=FW00023621
MONOLINGUAL LEGAL FRENCH DICTIONARIES
CORNU, Gérard, Vocabulaire juridique, Paris, Presses Universitaires de France – PUF, 8e éd, 2007, 986 p.
GUILLIEN, Raymond, et collab. Lexique de termes juridiques 2010, 14e éd., Paris, Dalloz, 2010, 769 p.
BILINGUAL LEGAL FRENCH < > ENGLISH DICTIONARIES
In a study (2005) of the structure and content of some hundred seventy legal dictionaries of European Union languages published between 1976 and 2004, Gerard-René de Groot and Conrad J.P. van Laer (see Online dictionaries) found that 70% of these dictionaries are useless.
The severity of this assessment results from the proposition that the language of the law being a “system-bound language, a reliable legal dictionary should thus indicate the degree of equivalence, or the absence thereof, in the target language-related legal system”.
From there, the authors developed a typology with three categories; each successive category shows a higher degree of quality:
- WORD LISTS – Bilingual or multilingual lists of terms offering unsubstantiated translations; equivalence is assumed; no explanation as to different meanings is offered; solely useful for words not found in other dictionaries;
- EXPLANATORY Dictionaries – Containing exemplary sentences illustrating the relevant linguistic context;
- COMPARATIVE – Referring to legal systems and/or legal sources, such as legislation or the literature, and to legal areas or comparative law
None of the eleven high quality dictionaries of the later category belong to the main European French / English, French / Spanish or Spanish / English languages. There are nevertheless excellent word/explanatory and more rarely comparative dictionaries. Here is a list:
FRENCH > ENGLISH
WORD/EXPLANATORY
BRIDGE, F.H.S, The Council of Europe French-English Legal Dictionary, Strasbourg, Council of Europe Press, 1994, 312 p.
“Provides frequently descriptions in English of the French source terms. Strongly recommended by T.L. West in: J.-C. Gémar & .N. Kasirer, Jurilinguistique : entre langues et droits, Montréal 2005: “By far the most comprehensive and most accurate” […] “'a model dictionary in terms of its accuracy and completeness”.
CORNU, Gérard, Dictionary of the Civil Code, LexisNexis, 2014, 663 p.
English translation of more than 1600 entries selected from the Vocabulaire Juridique of Gérard Cornu. Inroduction to the main concepts of the French Civil Code. Essential tool for comparatists, civilians, jurilinguists and translators.
ENGLISH > FRENCH
WORD/EXPLANATORY
MEERTENS, René, Guide anglais-français de la traduction, Editions Chiron. En France, diffusion Daudin ; Au Canada, diffusion Prologue.
A very useful guide for translating English into French. Although this isn’t solely a legal resource, it has a strong legal bias. English entries provide multiple French translations and provide context for usage when necessary. Great resource for a student of translation The perfect reference tool for tricky and trendy words and expressions.
ENGLISH < > FRENCH
EXPLANATORY/COMPARATIVE
BERMANN, George A., Jean, KIRCH, Pierre, French business law in translation, 2nd edition, Juris Publishing, Inc., Hutington, New York, 2008, 840 p.
Not a dictionary per se, but this second bilingual edition, fit with a glossary to give a preliminary of the conceptual linguistics tools used in each of the subject chapters, is an invaluable resource in legal linguistics for translators, international practitioners and academics.
EXPLANATORY/COMPARATIVE
DAHL, H.S. and BOUDREAU, Tamera, Dahl's law dictionary, 3rd edition, Hein, Buffalo, N.Y./ Dalloz, Paris, 2007, 675 page.
Mainly —but not exclusively— for the American market. Gives references to statutory provisions and legal literature. The depth and accuracy of the information varies considerably from term to term. Numerous typos, spelling errors, poor translations and even few mistranslations. However, the target-language definitions and source citations make it here and there a valuable tool for comparative law research. See two contrasted review, the very positive one in: the International Lawyer 1997, p. 1135-1139, written by M.G. Monroy, member of the bar of Columbia ... the very bad one of Tom West in the ATA Chronicle of June 2002.
EXPLANATORY /COMPARATIVE
DHUICQ, B., FRISON, D., L’anglais juridique, 3rd edition, B.M.S., Paris, 2006, 671 p.
Not a dictionary but the bilingual structure of texts in vis a vis makes it a very convenient terminology search tool in FR< > EN US/UK contextual texts. First Part: brief description of US and UK legal systems; Second Part: from French to English (key words and key sentences distributed under sixteen topics; Third Part: glossary and index.
WORD/EXPLANATORY
BALEYTE, Jean, KURGANSKY, Alexandre, LAROCHE, Christian, Dictionnaire économique et juridique / Economic and legal dictionary [, 5th edition L.G.D.G, Paris, 2000, 646 p. Made from the Dictionnaire juridique français-anglais of Thomas QUEMNER and McEwan, Paris, Éditions de Navarre, 1976, a classic, today out of print. “The volume fails to give an indication as to the degree of equivalence of terms and does not state whether a suggested translation is a neologism. They have missed also (bibliographic) references as to legal system, area of law and relevant articles or Codes. The volume offers mainly unsubstantiated translation suggestions.” Can often be misleading for anyone who is not familiar with English law. Also, it should always be remembered that the French terminology (as in most other dictionaries) refers to the French legal system.
RIGAUD, Louis, Dictionnaire Encyclopédique du Français des Affaires, La Maison du Dictionnaire, Paris, 2005, 916 p.
Covers the traditional fields of business (economics, law and management) as well the sciences and techniques applied to business (advertising, statistics, IT, electronic commerce, etc.). Terms are defined in French with an English-French index. Business French is a relatively new field and the choice of terms of expression seems at time lacking relevance. APFA (Agency for the Promotion of Business French) is sponsored by the DGLFLF (General delegation for the French language and languages of France).
WORD/EXPLANATORY
DE SAXCÉ, Franck,Dictionnaire comptable, fiscal et financier français-anglais et anglais-français/Accounting, Tax, and Financial Dictionary French-English, English-French, Saxcé, 512 pages. The reference book to better understand French corporate accounts and tax and financial issues.
WORD
DOUCET, M., Legal and Economic Dictionary, Paris, La Maison du Dictionnaire, 1979, 769 p.
Elementary, but provides acceptable paraphrases rather than inaccurate translations for English terms which do not have an equivalent in the civil law systems. Remarkably, the translation suggestions are often inspired by the Canadian legal systems blue book
CANADIAN RESOURCES
ALLARD, F., BRISSON, J.-M., CHARPENTIER, E, CRÉPEAU, P.-A., É. DESCHÊNES, FORGET, P, KASIRER, N., Dictionnaire de droit privé de la famille et lexiques bilingues / Private Law Dictionary of the Family and Bilingual Lexicons, Cowansville, Qc.: Yvon Blais, 1999. An essential tool to understand Quebec's civil law
ALLARD, Serge, CURIEN, Pauline, Manuel de rédaction juridique. Cowansville (Québec), Yvon Blais, 2000, 182 p.
BEAUDOIN, Louis, Les Mots du droit : Lexique analogique juridique (from the English word), 2e ed. , Cowansville (Quebec), Yvon Blais, 2004, 324 p.
BEAUDOIN, Louis, MAILHOT, Madeleine, Expressions juridiques en un clin d’œil (cooccurrents), 3e ed., Cowansville (Québec), Yvon Blais, 2005, 441 p.
GEMAR, Jean-Claude (directeur du collectif). Langage du droit et traduction / the language of the law and translation, Essais de jurilinguistique/Essays on Jurilinguistics. Département de linguistique et de philologie de l'Université de Montréal. Publié en coédition par Linguatech Collection, Langues de spécialité / Conseil de la langue française. Publication du Conseil, 1982.
GEMAR, Jean-Claude, KASIRER, Nicholas, Jurilinguistique/Jurilinguistic, Themis, Montréal ; Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2005, 596 p.
JÉRAUTE, Jules, Dictionnaire juridique français-anglais et anglais-français, Trois-Rivières, Éditions de Villers-Côté; Paris, Éditions Juridiques Associés, 1990.
MÉNARD, Louis, Dictionnaire de la comptabilité et de la gestion financière : anglais‑français avec index français‑anglais, 2e édition, Toronto et Montréal, Institut canadien des comptables agréés, 2004, 1581 p.
PATRY, Réjean M., Dictionnaire canadien de la common law: droit des biens et droit successoral, terminologie française normalisée, Ottawa, Association du barreau canadien, 1997. - Remplace les titres « Droit des biens » et « Droit successoral » publiés séparément dans « La clef, common law en français ».
PICOTTE, Jacques et collab., Juridictionnaire : recueil des difficultés et des ressources du français juridique, Tomes 1 et 2, Centre de terminologie juridique, (CTTJ) of the University of Moncton's Faculty of Law. This is an excellent all-purpose English< >French dictionary. Be aware, however, of its primary emphasis on Canadian legal. Useful to double- check some terminology.
UNIVERSITÉ DE MONCTON. Centre de traduction et de terminologie juridiques, Vocabulaire anglais-français et Lexique français-anglais de la "Common Law". English-French vocabulary and French-English glossary of the common law, Moncton, Éditions du Centre universitaire de Moncton, 1980+
JURILINGUISTICS
FRENCH
BEAUDOIN, Louis, MAILHOT, Madeleine, Expressions juridiques en un clin d'œil,2e éd., Cowansville, Ed. Y. Blais, 2000
CORNU, Gérard, Linguistique juridique, Paris, Montchrestien, 2000.
SOURIOUX, Jean-Louis, LERAT, Pierre, Le Langage du droit (PUF, 1975)
BISSARDON, Sébastien, Guide du langage juridique – Les pièges à éviter, Paris, Litec, 2002
GEMAR, Jean-Claude, Essays on Jurilinguistics (see Canadian Resources)
VINAY, P., DARBELNET, J. , Stylistique comparée du français et de l’anglais
RESOURCES IN ENGLISH ABOUT THE FRENCH LEGAL SYSTEM
CAIRNS, Walter Introduction to French law (London : Cavendish, 1995) ISBN 1-85941-112-6
ELLIOTT, Catherine French legal system (Harlow, England : Longman, 2000) ISBN 0-582-32747-4.
STARCK, Boris Introduction au droit 5. éd. (Paris : Litec, c2000) ISBN 2-7111-3221-8.
BELL, John Principles of French law (Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1998) ISBN 0-19-876394-8, ISBN 0-19-876395-6.
DADOMO, Christian The French legal system 2nd ed. (London : Sweet & Maxwell, 1996) ISBN 0-421-53970-4.
WEST, Andrew The French legal system 2nd ed. (London : Butterworths, 1998) ISBN 0-406-90323-9.
UK/US ENGLISH
HAIGH, R. Legal English (Routledge Cavendish, 2004, ISBN 978-1859419502)
LA PRADELLE, Géraud de L'Anglais juridique et le Droit anglais (Dalloz 1978)
MCKAY, W. Legal English: How to Understand and Master the Languages of Law (Longman ELT, 2005, ISBN 978-0582894365)
RILEY, A. English for Law (Macmillan Publishers, London/Basingstoke), 1995 reprint.
RUSSELL, F. AND LOCKE, C., English Law and Language (Prentice Hall, New York etc.), 1992.
TIERSMA, Peter Legal Language (U. of Chicago Press, 1999)
BILINGUAL LEGAL ENGLISH <> FRENCH < > SPANISH DICTIONARIES
SPANISH > ENGLISH
WORD
CABANELLAS DE LAS CUEVAS, G. & HOAGUE, E.C., Butterworths Spanish/English legal dictionary, Vol 2: Spanish-English, Austin, Butterworth Legal Publishers, 1991, 669 p. ‘This work is the best of the lot” according to J.R. Torres, A Comparative Review of Spanish-English Legal Dictionaries, Law Library Journal 1994 (p. 232).
EXPLANATORY
WEST III, Th. L., Spanish-English dictionary of law and business, Atlanta, Protea, 1999, 319 p. occasionally indicates to which legal system the Spanish entry term relates. Frequently, translation suggestions are illustrated. Reviewed by F. Avalos, International Journal of Legal Information 1999 (p. 459-461) p. 461: highly recommended to any person that deals with Latin American legal or commercial matters. Also recommended (“eminently practical”) by M.T. Ward, Hispania 2000 (p. 478-479).
SPANISH < > ENGLISH
EXPLANATORY/COMPARATIVE
DAHL, H.S. Dahl's law dictionary; 4th edition, Buffalo N.Y., Hein, 2006, 924 p. “Mainly, but not exclusively for the American market. Gives references to statutory provisions and legal literature. The depth of the information varies considerably from term to term. See the very positive review in: The International Lawyer 1997, p. 1135-1139, written by M.G. Monroy, member of the bar of Columbia. Compare also the elaborated and positive review of the first edition of this dictionary (1992) by Prof. K.S. Rosenn (Inter-American Law Review 1993, p. 607-623). Strongly recommended by B.M. Carl, Fordham International Law Journal 1995, p. 1069-1071... but severely evaluated by Thomas West III, author of the Spanish-English Dictionary of Law and Business (above)
COMPARATIVE
GALLEGOS, C. Bilingual law dictionary, Chicago, Merl, 2005, 414 p. “Mainly dealing with Latin-American Spanish speaking jurisdictions. The structure of the dictionary, with indication of the degree and the kind of equivalence, looks very promising. Gives frequently references to relevant articles of statutes, to case law and to legal literature. Terms are often explained in comparative perspective”.
EXPLANATORY
BOSSINI, F.R. & GLEESON, M. Diccionario bilingüe de terminología jurídica Inglés-Español/Español-Inglés, segunda edición, Madrid, McGraw-Hill, 1998, 554 p. The English entry terms are frequently – sometimes even extensively – explained in Spanish. However, the translation suggestions are not linked with references or illustrated by citations. Occasionally, comments are included ‘to clarify entries that relate to specific legal terms, [….] and which have no equivalent in the other language.’
FRENCH > SPANISH
WORD/EXPLANATORY
RABIT, M. Les mots clés du droit : classement thématique, exemples d'utilisation, index bilingue, Rosny sous Bois, Bréal, 2003, 207 p. “The French entries are arranged according to ten different fields of the law (e.g. civil law, criminal law, constitutional law). A Spanish translation and an explanation of the content in Spanish are given. Regrettably, references to statutory provisions and case law are lacking.
