Research Articles
Translating Law in 19th-Century Belgium: Criticisms of Official Translations of Laws and Decrees
Authors:
Heleen van Gerwen ,
PhD researcher, Translation and Intercultural Transfer, ku Leuven, Kortrijk, Belgium
Marie Bourguignon,
PhD researcher, Leuven Centre for Public Law, ku Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Bieke Nouws
PhD researcher, Translation and Intercultural Transfer, ku Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Abstract
From the late eighteenth century, nationalist winds blew over Europe, passing also through the new state of Belgium, seceded from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1830. Making use of French as the lingua franca in the political and administrative domains, and trying at the same time to engage the Flemish-speaking part of the population, the Belgian government committed itself to translate its legislative texts into Flemish. Yet, these official translations were broadly criticized by Flemish politicians, lawyers and journalists alike. Their response was to publish translations of key legislative texts via private channels. The purpose of this article is to point out the gap between the government’s explicit motivation to inform the people, and the quality and actual usability of the translations of laws, by engaging with the discussion of common criticisms of official translations expressed by members of the Belgian parliament, jurists and the general public.
How to Cite:
van Gerwen H, Bourguignon M and Nouws B, ‘Translating Law in 19th-century Belgium: Criticisms of Official Translations of Laws and Decrees’ (2017) 22 Tilburg Law Review 99 DOI: http://doi.org/10.1163/22112596-02201006
Published on
10 Oct 2017.
Peer Reviewed
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