Legal Terminology in English and the Target Language
What is tested
Terminology items test whether you can select a target-language equivalent that carries the right legal function, not merely the right dictionary gloss. Expect matched pairs, short translation choices, and English definitions of procedural terms.
Concepts to master
- False and partial cognates: a word that looks equivalent may cover only part of the concept - “conviction” is not always the same word as “sentence,” and a general word for “lawyer” does not necessarily mean “barrister” or “public defender.”
- System-bound terms with no exact equivalent: arraignment, discovery, grand jury, plea bargain, tort, trust, escrow, probation. Render the function descriptively or use the established borrowing.
- Latin terms: mens rea, actus reus, habeas corpus, prima facie, de novo, pro se, res judicata, sua sponte.
- Fixed formal formulae: “the undersigned,” “hereinafter,” “without prejudice,” “so ordered.”
- Target-language conventions of gender, number, capitalization, and abbreviation.
Traps
The tempting distractor is the look-alike word. Another trap is a technically correct term in the wrong register - colloquial where a sworn document requires formality. Watch for terms that shift by procedural stage: “charge” as accusation versus “charge” as jury instruction; “sentence” as penalty versus “judgment” as the court’s ruling.
Rule of thumb
Ask what the term does in the proceeding, then choose the target term that performs that function. Where no equivalent exists, describe the function rather than guessing a single word.
Worked example
Arraignment is the initial appearance at which the defendant is informed of the charges and enters a plea. In a system without that hearing, do not substitute the word for “indictment” or “trial”; use a descriptive equivalent - the hearing at which charges are formally read and a plea is taken.