MINISTRY OF JUSTICE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAININGHANOI LAW UNIVERSITY BUI HUONG GIANG 443028 ENGLISH-MAJORED STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF LEGAL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING COURSES AT H
The relation between legal translation and legal interpreting
Legal translation and legal interpreting are integral components of the transfer process from the SL to the TL, and their interrelation is of great signifi- cance Legal translation refers to the written process of translating legal docu- ments and texts, such as contracts, laws, and regulations, from one language to another On the other hand, legal interpreting refers to the spoken process of fa- cilitating communication between speakers of different languages in a legal set- ting, where the interpreter is required to convey the meaning and intent of the original speaker.
Sandrini (2004) argues that LTI are closely related and that they both play a crucial role in ensuring effective communication and understanding of legal texts and discourse Legal translation and legal interpreting are complementary relationship, with each playing a unique role in the legal process Likewise, ac- cording to the International Journal of Translation, Interpreting, and Communi- cation, "The relationship between legal translation and legal interpreting is one of complementarity, where each serves a different purpose and contributes to the effectiveness of legal communication in multilingual settings" (Gabriela, 2020). These statements are reasonable, as they are due to the fact that both legal trans- lators and legal interpreters are engaged in finding and reflecting meanings in text, as stated by Pelage (2010).
While both legal translation and legal interpreting are important compo- nents of the legal system, they serve different purposes and require different skills and knowledge Legal translation focuses on the written text, and requires a deep understanding of legal terminology, grammar, and textual conventions. Legal interpreting, on the other hand, focuses on spoken language, and requires the interpreter to have excellent language skills, as well as a deep understanding of legal procedures, cultures, and ethical standards.
The importance of LTI courses in legal education
As noted, legal translation and legal interpreting play a crucial role in ensuring that legal documents and communications are accurately translated and understood in different languages and cultures Moreover, LTI is a critical fields that has great importance in the administration of justice and the protection of human rights Therefore, participating LTI courses is essential for those looking to enter this field as well as for those who want to expand their knowledge and skills in the areas of LTI These courses provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complex world of legal communication and to accurately convey legal information from one language to another (Nebot, 2015).
It is undeniable that the ability to accurately translate legal documents and interpret legal proceedings is essential for ensuring that the law is applied equally and fairly to all individuals, regardless of language or cultural background LTI courses provide students with the necessary linguistic and cultural competencies to perform this important work This includes training in the specialized vocabulary and terminology used in legal settings, as well as the various forms and styles of legal documents and legal discourse.
Additionally, LTI courses also equip students with the necessary intercultural communication skills needed to work effectively in multilingual and multicultural legal environments This is especially important in today's increasingly interconnected and globalized world, where the need for LTI services 1S growing rapidly.
Furthermore, these courses provide students with the opportunity to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as to gain hands-on experience in LTI through practical exercises and simulations This helps to
12 prepare students for the real-world challenges they may encounter in their future careers as legal translators and interpreters.
In conclusion, LTI courses are of great importance to law students at university, as they provide them with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to succeed in the rapidly growing and challenging field of LTI These courses are not only beneficial to students' personal and professional growth, but also play a vital role in promoting justice, fairness, and human rights in the world.
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Legal translation and legal interpreting have attracted attention from scholars and educators in the literature One of the previous studies related to this topic is "Understanding legal interpreter and translator training in times of change" by Nebot (2015) explored the challenges faced by legal interpreters and translators and the need for professional training in the field The study highlighted the importance of incorporating technology and providing opportunities for practice and feedback in LTI courses.
Besides, Hu (2016) in the study of legal translation from the perspective of error analysis identify problems of legal translation found in legal abstracts and classify them into several categories After analyzing the problems, authors indi- cate that translators face with numerous problems when translating legal texts, including the influence of ordinary language, lack of reliable reference tools, in- sufficiency of legal knowledge, deficiency in the TL or SL, and the peculiar characteristics of legal language.
When it comes to the studies of domestic scholars, Tran (2010) researched into problems and difficulties encountered in the translation of legal texts be- tween English and Vietnamese The study examined the outstanding problems of Vietnamese during translating legal texts with a view to enhancing the im-
13 portance of taking into account linguistic viewpoints as well as those of legal categories in the translation of legal texts and law related materials.
Ly (2022) conducted the efficacy of the 'Translation' course at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry from the English-majored students' perspectives Aiming to investigate students' perceptions on different aspects of the course, the study discovered their lack of majored skills and related problems. Simultaneously, the author suggested a number of viable recommendations to improve this course in the future.
These scholars have researched the problems around legal translation and legal interpreting, focusing on different perspectives and approaches to the pro- motion of LTI training activities To some extent, the results of the studies have also made a major contribution to developing understanding of this matter and solving the difficulties of LTI of the learners and translators as well However, studies on the students’ attitudes towards the whole course of translating and in- terpreting are very limited, compared to other topics in the same field This cur- rent research is carried out to clarify English-majored students' perception on studying LTI courses in the context of HLU.
Chapter | lays out theoretical background for the research and reviews the previous studies It reviews the pertinent literature that delivers the research work and provides the background knowledge on the research questions; specifically, the literature on the concepts, common problems, the importance of legal translation and legal interpreting as the grounds for analyzing matters around the topic.
In this chapter, the research method is demonstrated, by which the reliabil- ity and validity of the study are determined Accordingly, this chapter represents an effort in delivering a method that adequately addresses the research questions. Specifically, the settings and sample population of the study are discussed; the description of the data collection instruments, and the procedure of data collec- tion and analysis are presented in this chapter.
LTI is a compulsory subject in the bachelor's degree program at HLU, ma- joring in Legal English The module aims to equip and train English language students with basic translation and interpreting skills related to different areas of social life and initially train learners in translation and interpreting skills in a number of fields.
Accordingly, the LTI courses at HLU focus on the content of several areas of life and legal fields such as: Culture, Society, Education, sources of law, legal systems, constitutional law, criminal law, company law, and contract law The courses generally consist of two major parts: (1) Translation; and (2) Interpret- ing (Nhac, 2021)
Participants of this research were 98 students chosen randomly from K44 of the Faculty of Legal Foreign Languages of HLU The first language of all par- ticipants is Vietnamese, and their foreign language is English.
The author selected the group of senior students mainly because they are to complete all modules of LTI courses, from basic to advanced ones Thus, their responses on the perspective of these courses would be a reliable source of in- formation for conducting this research.
Furthermore, nine legal English-majored seniors were chosen to provide personal viewpoints of problems they have been facing in learning process of the courses From then, a variety of opinions and ideas about the LTI courses can be collected by conducting the survey of varied sample population.
The research adopts two data collection instruments namely survey ques- tionnaire and interview The survey questionnaire examines the perceptions of English-majored students of the LTI courses at HLU.
The interview assists the researcher in gathering in-depth information on students’ perspectives and feelings about the topic of this paper.
The aim of the research is to survey HLU’s English majors' perceptions on LTI courses, and to enhance the efficacy of the course at this institution Hence, a survey questionnaire consisting of a list of questions and statements plus as- sessment scales to clarify the participants’ perceptions on the LTI courses was employed for data collection.
The survey method of data collection is a widely-used technique due to several strengths According to Verhoeven (2015), the survey method is easy to analyze as the average answers can be used to draw conclusions for each re- spondent Additionally, this method is time-efficient, providing immediate re- sults, which can save valuable time for researchers Another benefit is that it of- fers consistent results when the same data points are examined under randomized conditions, thereby providing a reliable source of information Furthermore, this method ensures anonymity, as there is no face-to-face interaction between the respondents and the interviewer, which is beneficial when sensitive questions are asked.
Besides traditional survey questionnaires in collecting data, researchers have turned to semi-structured interviews to gain a more nuanced understanding of the study's topic In a study by Smith (2021), semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse group of participants to gain insight into their experi- ences with a new educational program The interviews consisted of a set of key questions, but the flexibility of the approach allowed participants to diverge and provide more detailed responses.
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The information is gathered and fortified by interview questions through a researcher-made questionnaire The survey is allowed to collect student’s data from the K44 English Majors at HLU, as well as personal consent The research- er directly distributes the questionnaire survey to 98 respondents in Google form and collects the form within two weeks.
The very first step was Piloting, which is a crucial aspect of an adequate study design as conducting a pilot study assists to fulfill a range of important
17 functions and can provide valuable insights for researchers Therefore, the ques- tionnaire was sent to the research supervisor and 10 students for piloting.
After finalizing the questionnaire, the researcher connected to the partici- pants in order to ask for their agreement to take part in this step of the research. The researcher contacted class monitors of 02 classes of K44 (4429 and 4430) of Legal English Department to ask them to deliver information about the question- naire as well as the clarity and authority of the research to their classmates Stu- dents in such classes expressed their consent to participate in the study.
The survey was carried out from 18th February 2023 to 4th March 2023. The above mentioned two-week period is suitable for collecting sufficient re- sponses from 98 random samples Due to the reason that all participants were English major students, the survey was carried out in entirely English language. 2.4.1.2 Data from interview
The instrument used to collect data was a focus group open-ended inter- view provoking students’ thought The interview sessions would be carried out in groups in order to help students avoid being reluctant to share experiences in one-on-one interviews Furthermore, the questions asked in the interviews were open-ended to gather more detailed information on the students' experiences from their studying interactions.
There were three meetings with the contribution of 9 volunteered partici- pants randomly divided into three focus groups of three Each session lasted about fifteen minutes All interview meetings consisted of 6 main questions, which were asked in the same sequence Additionally, in the course of the inter- view, the researchers asked supplementary questions to seek clarification.
The researcher collected data from 98 random English-majored students, resulting in a 100% response rate As a result, the data gathered has sufficient
18 foundation to be credible and to make conclusions from The analytical method involves a statistical technique that is used in the questionnaire and is based on frequency and percentage The item with the highest frequency and percentage shows the most important, mandatory responses to the research questions After a sufficient number of completed questionnaires were obtained, each question- naire was evaluated to collect the responses supplied by each participant The findings were displayed in figures and tables to clearly identify difficulties in dif- ferent aspects.
The main measures would be used in this research including Mean, Range, and Standard Deviation via IBM SPSS Mean is the result of adding a set of numbers and then dividing the total by the number of items Calculating the mean works really well for reporting the way students' scores work out on aver- age across the whole class To calculate the range, the largest and smallest num- bers are identified and then subtracted The range offers the spread across all the numbers or the clearest picture when all the scores are relatively closely bunched together The standard deviation (SD) means an average of the distance of each score from the mean SD reflects how each score deviates on average from the mean It is more accurate than the range in showing how scores are spread out.
In particular, the prepared data were then entered into SPSS for analysis and tabulation to produce mean scores with the formula:
Accordingly, the means scores would be interpreted as follows:
Data from semi-structured interviews were utilized to support the re- searcher in interpreting and explaining the result obtained from the question- naire As the information from this form of data collection was considered quali- tative, it was to be presented in the form of quotations or sayings The presenta- tion of data followed the convergent mixed-method design Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed separately The results from the analysis of both datasets were compared and interpreted to check whether the re- sults supported or contradicted each other The quantitative and qualitative re- sults were described in the discussion.
In this chapter, the researcher has laid out and supported the approach in the implementation of this research and presents it with details to justify it within four parts: Settings, Participants, Data collection instruments, and Procedures.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION S152 21 3.1 Students' views towards the necessity, benefits and suitablity of LTI 00) 1.117 e 21 3.2 Students' views towards the difficulties encountered throughout the
This chapter demonstrates all data gathered by surveys and interviews and statistically visualized the data in tables The results are discussed and further explained and supported by the findings of related studies.
3.1 Students’ views towards the necessity, benefits and suitablity of LTI courses
Before seeking learners’ perspectives on the LTI courses, the research tried to investigate their self-assessment of English proficiency.
Figure 1 Self-assessment of respondents' English proficiency
As illustrated in Figure 1., there are four levels of English proficiency for students learning Legal English to self-evaluate upon, namely pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced Moreover, K44 students of the Department of Foreign Languages at HLU have been able to determine their cur- rent level of proficiency through exam results.
It is evident from the chart, the majority of respondents rated their English proficiency as Intermediate, with the percentage 46.3% A similar pattern was observed in the rate of Upper Intermediate and Pre-Intermediate learners, which accounted for 26.9% and 19.5% respectively However, only a modest 7.3% considered themselves to be at the Advanced level.
The results showed that English-majored students have attained a quite moderate level of legal English even though they have been studying this subject for quite a long time In comparison to the previous study by Vu (2019), this study shares the same findings regarding the English language proficiency of fourth year college students which is generally low It seems that students may have not achieved the expected outcomes.
Table 1 Learners’ perspectives on the necessity of the LTI courses
1 I view LTI courses as necessary for my future | 98 4.19 al 3 careers in the legal field
2 I recognize the importance of LTI in facilitating | 98 4.21 662 cross-cultural communication
3 Legal terminology and context emphasized in the | 98 Be 471 courses aids in understanding the legal system
4 LTI courses can provide a solid foundation formy | 98 3.15 738 ongoing training and professional development
5 I see the courses as a way to broaden cultural and| 98 4.46 384 linguistic knowledge
6 The courses can promote global legal cooperation | 98 3.08 | 519 and understanding
As can be seen from Table 1., the outcomes demonstrate that 4 out of 6 items received substantial mean values, with the high mean score of the necessity of the LTI courses ranging from 3.92 to 4.46 In particular, the majority of stu- dents concurred with the statements 5 "Students see the courses as a way to broaden their cultural and linguistic knowledge" making it reach the highest mean score of 4.46 Furthermore, the importance of LTI in facilitating cross- pa cultural communication, in participants' future careers in the legal field, or in un- derstanding the legal system via legal terminology and context emphasized in the courses stood on the next ranks of courses' necessity with a high proportion among participants, which are 4.21, 4.19, and 3.92 respectively Most students believed that LTI courses provide a solid foundation for ongoing training and professional development (M=3.15) as well as promoting global legal coopera- tion and understanding through the courses (M=3.08), are not necessarily re- quired Generally, there 1s no doubt that a large number of participants found these 6 abovementioned courses' necessity statements important in their LTI learning process.
These aforementioned statistics can be explained that the LTI courses were such the necessary courses for students to have adequate training and ex- pertise for their LTI skills These statistics and results are in line with the previ- ous researches (Kacprzak, 2020; Bojarski, 2018; and Borja-Albi, 2017).
According to Kacprzak (2020), the courses not only enhance students' le- gal English proficiency but also broaden their cultural and linguistic knowledge, which is highly valued in today's globalized world Besides, Bojarski (2018) stated that LTI play a crucial role in facilitating cross-cultural communication, and the courses provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to bridge the gap between different legal systems and languages The reason for quite positive mean score for item 3 was that for those are planning to pursue ca- reers in the legal field, the courses provide essential training in legal language, terminology, and procedures Borja-Albi (2017) Such findings were confirmed through follow-up interview Student 3 shared the similar point:
"I believe that LTI courses are essential for anyone who wants to work in the legal field or pursue a career in translation or interpreting Without
CÁ these courses, it would be difficult to develop the necessary linguistic and cultural competencies to work effectively in this field" (Student 3)
It can be seen that item 4 and item 6 did not highly appreciate by partici- pants On the contrary, Alfakih's study (2018) showed that ongoing training and professional development are necessary for professionals in the LTI field, as it requires both linguistic and legal knowledge and skills The courses can provide a solid foundation for continued learning and development Moreover, LTI courses can promote global legal cooperation and understanding by providing students with the necessary cultural and legal competencies to work with legal systems of different countries and cultures (Kacprzak, 2020).
In short, participants agreed that LTI courses were very necessary for their translation and interpreting learning, as one of the participants mentioned in the interview:
"LTI courses are not only necessary, but highly beneficial for anyone in- terested in this field In today's globalized world, where legal systems and international businesses often involve multiple languages and cultural dif- ferences, the ability to accurately translate and interpret legal documents and communication is crucial Without proper training and education in LTI, mistakes can be made that could have serious consequences" (Stu- dent 5).
Table 2 Learners’ perspectives on the benefits of the LTI courses
The statements aiming at explores English majors' viewpoints about the benefits they attained throughout the LTI courses with the results are illustrated in Table 2.
1 The courses help improve my English profiency 98 3.81 752
2 The courses widen my knowledge on legal matters 98 3.66 531
3 The courses enhance my vocabulary and| 98 3.58 655 terminology used in legal settings
4 The courses develop my critical thinking and| 98 2.94 | 1.031 problem-solving skills
5 The courses provide me with the essential linguistic | 98 4.17 953 and cultural competencies of LTI
As shown in Table 2., the mean scores of 5 items range from 2.94 to 4.17. Undoubtedly, essential linguistic and cultural competencies of LTI is the greatest advantage to students (M= 4.17) Quite the same mean scores are given to item 1,
2, and 3, which indicated that English majors realized their English profiency (M=3.81) and their knowledge on legal matters (M=3.66), as well as their vocabulary and terminology used in legal settings were improved through the courses (M=3.58) However, there is a poor rating on the view "The courses develop my critical thinking and problem-solving skills" (M=3.04) Clarifying their position, respondents showed their opinions in the subsequent interview.
The LTI courses have been beneficial in developing my linguistic and cul- tural competencies, expanding my knowledge of legal matters and termi- nology (Student 4)
I think the courses have improved my English proficiency, provided me with specialized knowledge in legal terminology and concepts, and ex- posed us to different legal systems and procedures (Student 9)
In addition to new terms and expressions from various contexts, the stu- dents were instructed how to choose proper equivalent words or phrases in the
TL and how to apply them appropriately in different legal settings Another fe- male student also had the same view as the abovementioned one:
These subjects did not only support me in understanding word choices but also helped me think more wisely when looking at/ listening a sentence in- stead of being affected by one single style of translation/ interpreting. (Student 7)
Previous studies conducted by Ana (2015) shared the same line that LTI courses can enhance one's vocabulary and terminology used in legal settings, which is essential for accurate and effective communication.
In contrast to the results of item 4 which got the lowest consideration from survey-questioned participants, some of respondents in direct interview felt criti- cal thinking as well as problem-solving as the amazing skills that they obtained from the LTI courses One interviewee stated that "J am eager to study all the lessons because I can see how my logical and critical thinking change day after day through the LTI courses" (Student 1) Similarly, Student 8 expressed: "the LTI courses trained me a legal mindset that affect my thinking a lot, especially my critical thinking" Also, it is supported by Barbara (2003), LTI require critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to navigate complex legal language and concepts Taking courses in these areas can help develop es- sential skills.
In a nutshell, although certain results from interview and questionnaire were a bit different, a high proportion of participants generally agreed LTI courses as beneficial courses.
Table 3 Learners’ perspectives on the suitability of the LTI courses
1 The course books used in the courses are suitable 98 3.59 873
2 The learning activities are properly held 98 3.14 | 592
3 The pace and difficulty of the lessons are adjusted | 98 3.07 447
26 properly for different levels of proficiency
4 The support and guidance during in and out of| 98 3.86 512 classes provided by lecturers are appropriate
As displayed in Table 3., it was found that English majors at HLU per- ceived the LTI courses fairly with a mean score ranging from 3.07 to 3.86 No- ticeably, most of the respondents agreed that teachers gave them proper support and guidance during and after classes, as this item experienced the highest mean score of agreement, at 3.86 Furthermore, students expressed their satisfaction with the course books used in the LTI courses, suggesting that they were appro- priate for their personal needs and abilities (M=3.59) Relating to learning activi- ties and the pace and difficulty of the lessons, students believed they were neI- ther suitable nor unsuitable (M=3.14 and M=3.07 correspondingly).
The abovementioned figures indicate that most English majors at HLU found that the suitability of LTI courses were on the neutral rank.
I think the learning activities are generally well-planned and engaging, but sometimes they can be too focused on grammar and vocabulary rather than on real-life legal situations (Student 9)
Explaining for the moderate viewpoints on item 3, Student 6 claimed: