Title:
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The application of the theory of norms to the translations of international treaties : a case study of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty
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This Thesis explains that the development of a method by which researchers can
identify normative behaviour of translators will enable the standardisation of
equivalences between English and Arabic. The thesis suggests that achieving such a
method will minimise political disputes. In showing that norms have an effect on the
behaviour of translators, the thesis examines and evaluates the resulting products of
translators, i.e. translations, and presents explanations of why these effects occur. By
eliminating the choices of equivalences, which were prejudiced by translators'
normative behaviour, the standardisation could be achievable.
The thesis underscores the inadequacy of the suggestion that translators should learn a
certain set of translational norms and should follow them. It argues, however, that
being exposed to various norms whether, translational, cultural or otherwise plays an
important role in the quality of translation. In illustrating the latter, the thesis
provides an empirical study by which one hundred different translations are analysed
by the use of a manual corpora method. The experiment records significant factors,
which prove the effects of norms on translators, and offers different measures by
which these factors are evaluated. Accordingly, the thesis examines the normative
behaviour of translators in their decision-making process in relation to the translation
of legal texts as part of international documents only. The thesis uses the 10rdanIsraeli
Peace Treaty signed in 1994 as a case study.
The key point is that, if legal and political translation between English and Arabic is
prejudiced by negative normative behaviour, this will without doubt result in political
disputes. The aim of this thesis is to suggest a method by which Arabic equivalences
of English legal terms are relatively' standardised and compiled in an index to be
referred to by legal translators in iUture cases. The thesis suggests the establishment
of a translation planning committee (TPC) to act as the authority responsible for
conducting the suggested method.
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