Translating German-language feminatives in legal regulations into Polish Cover Image

Przekład niemieckojęzycznych feminatywów w regulacjach prawnych na język polski
Translating German-language feminatives in legal regulations into Polish

Author(s): Jan Iluk, Łukasz Iluk
Subject(s): Translation Studies
Published by: Oficyna Wydawnicza ATUT – Wrocławskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe
Keywords: the language of law; feminization of language; translation strategies; feminatives

Summary/Abstract: The masculine names used in legal regulations make women invisible. Since the 80 years of the last century, the process of their de-masculinization has begun in German-speaking countries. The first part of the article discusses the statutory regulations guaranteeing gender symmetry in the language of law and administration in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and its consistent application. The legal status in this matter in Poland is completely different. It preserves the androcentric character of the Polish language of law and thus excludes the possibility of using feminatives in personnel documents or administrative decisions.The second part of the article examines the possibilities of translating the feminine forms of names of the addressees of legal norms into Polish. In the translational literature, this topic is not taken into consideration There are no rules for their translation in translational guides. The article presents two translational approaches and their effects, because they either violate the principle of fidelity of translation or the nomination used in Polish. The specific problems of translating feminatives into this language result from systemic limitations in their creation, strong stylistic characteristics and the continuing tendency to masculinize the titles and names of professions in Poland.

  • Issue Year: 2021
  • Issue No: 12
  • Page Range: 125-142
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish
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