A launch event of An English-Chinese Dictionary of Law Terms (Second Edition) and the Seminar on Legal English Education, Research and Publishing were held on Oct. 13 at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, in Chongqing.

Professor Song Lei of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, spent more than 20 years with his team in writing and revising the dictionary. The first edition was published in 2005, and won the Book Nomination Award at the Chinese Government Award for Publishing in 2007, the top prize in this field.

Song Lei and his team did not rest on the laurels. The revision work started soon after the first edition was published. After more than 10 years' painstaking efforts, the second edition was published in September 2019.

Half of the first edition's contents were revised, while the added information accounts for 50%. Now, the book has 6.75 million words and contains more than 150,000 terms, covering civil, criminal, administrative, economic and commercial laws, as well as international economic and private international laws. 

It is currently the largest and most exhaustive learning dictionary in the field of English-Chinese legal terms in China, with three main characteristics: the content is more comprehensive, the definitions are more professional, and retrieval is more convenient.

Song remarked that the compilation of the dictionary was not about simply gathering and piling information. More importantly, the team needed to research and sort it out. Sometimes it took a week to complete the compilation of a single term after retrieving dozens of articles.

"Sharp tools make good work," and as a professional who has been engaged in legal translation for a long time, he regards "the dictionary as an important tool for translators."

"I hope the dictionary will help introduce the legal culture of foreign countries and promote the legal culture and spirit of China," he said.

Scholars and experts in the field speak highly of the dictionary, believing its publication demonstrates the results of foreign language education and research in China. Moreover, it also promotes the rule of law in China and deepen communication with the international legal society.

Wang Gangyi, vice executive president and secretary general of the China Academy of Translation and director of the Legal Translation Committee, said Professor Song Lei and the Law Press had jointly contributed to the creation of a good reference book for legal translation. 

"It not only contains foreign legal concepts and terms, but also includes Chinese ones. As a good driving force and catalyst, the publication of this book can further promote the exchanges between the Chinese and international legal community," Wang said.

Shang Wenjiang, vice president of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said that Professor Song Lei and his team had shown great diligence in compiling the dictionary over a period of more than 20 years. "Collaborating with the Law Press, they have provided an authoritative and exhaustive bilingual reference book for all those who love legal English.

"To some extent, the dictionary is a microcosm of the education and research endeavor of the School of Foreign Languages of Southwest University of Political Science and Law," he added.

According to Zhang Xuechun, editorial director of the Law Press, the Dictionary embodies five cultural spirits: duty, innovation, dedication, devotion, and teamwork. He said that the spirit of Chinese lexicographers had gradually formed in the process of compiling dictionaries as a valuable spiritual wealth of modern society.

Li Zhijiang, former deputy secretary of the Chinese Dictionary Society, also remarked that, since the founding of the People's Republic of China, great progress had been made in the rule of law. 

"Research of law have has also produced lots of good results and An English-Chinese Dictionary of Law Terms (The Second Edition) is one of them," Li added.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)