LEXICO-GRAMMATICAL FEATURES OF TRANSLATING ENGLISH-LANGUAGE JUDGMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS INTO UKRAINIAN

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the lexico-grammatical features of translating English-language decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) into Ukrainian. The main goal of the research is to identify lexical and grammatical differences in the texts of ECHR judgments and to understand how these features are reflected in translation. The author emphasizes the importance of accurately conveying the originality of the ECHR judgments to ensure access to justice and the effective use of European legal practice by national courts. Incorrect or inaccurate translation can lead to violations of fundamental principles of justice. Moreover, ECHR judgments constitute a distinct genre of legal texts with inherent compositional and linguistic characteristics. They are marked by emotional neutrality, impartiality, and precision of expression, achieved through the use of specialized vocabulary and complex grammatical constructions. ECHR judgments are characterized by a saturation of legal terms and specific vocabulary. The author highlights that many commonly used words acquire special meanings in the context of legal documents. These texts also often contain abbreviations and Latin expressions that require accurate reproduction in translation. Legal clichés and set phrases, which have their corresponding formal Ukrainian equivalents, are frequently encountered in court decisions. Grammatical features of ECHR judgments include the use of complex sentences with numerous subordinate and main clauses, as well as modal verbs expressing obligation or command. Repetition of the same words or phrases, unacceptable in literary style, is typical for legal texts. In conclusion, the author stresses the necessity of considering the lexico-grammatical features of ECHR judgments to ensure high-quality and accurate translation. This article makes a valuable contribution to the field of legal translation by providing an in-depth analysis of the lexico-grammatical characteristics of ECHR judgments.