English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law [Hardcover]

Galina Clothier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0313304556 | ISBN-13: 978-0313304552

The demand for a reliable and up-to-date English-Russian legal reference has become evident since the end of the Cold War, which has led to extensive ties with the former Soviet Union in various areas. Particularly, criminal law needs references that bridge cross-cultural communication in the legal arena. The dictionary covers most frequently used legal terms, primarily from criminal law, and other court-related words and expressions. The terms are listed with Russian equivalents, definitions, and examples of usage in English with their Russian translation. The appendix includes current samples of court documents translated into Russian. This dictionary will be of interest to court interpreters, instructors and students of legal translation, and compilers of certification materials, as well as attorneys and law enforcement personnel who deal with Russian-speaking clients.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The need for such a dictionary has been acutely felt....This dictionary and its planned counterparts should prove especially useful for those working with Russian emigrant communities in the United States.”–ARBA

“The dictionary will prove of the most immediate application to Russian court interpreters in the U.S., indeed, it seems to be tailor-made for their use. The author would not be surprised to learn that the two lexicographers who compiled this work are themselves court interpreters, so user-friendly is the book, and so clearly intended for the rough-and-tumble of court work....[A] valuable addition to any Slavist's professional library....[T]his dictionary is an excellent weapon in the struggle to make Russian-speaking defendants present and participants in their own legal proceedings.”–Slavfile

“What a great idea. English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law is a unique and valuable resource. With the demise of the Cold War and the subsequent influx of Russian immigrants, this dictionary promises to be an increasingly valuable and relied upon document.”–John R. Potter Executive Director Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

“English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law should be of great benefit to law enforcement officers and criminal investigators in their interactions with the Russian speaking community in the United States. It is critical to our work with Russian crime victims, witnesses and suspects that we have resources to assist us in accurately translating written communications. This Dictionary provides us an excellent reference for interacting with the Russian speaking community.”–Bruce W. Prunk Assistant Police Chief Portland Police Bureau

“The authors, both topnotch legal interpreters, have miraculously bridged the linguistic chasm between countries which use significantly different legal systems. Their credentials come from the trenches of trial work as well as the ivory towers of academia. I hope we'll soon see court interpreters toting dog-eared copies of the English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law.”–Constance Emerson Crooker Attorney and author of The Art of Legal Interpretation and A Guide for Court interpreters

Language Notes

Text: English, Russian

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 350 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (July 30, 1998)
• Language: English, Russian
• ISBN-10: 0313304556
• ISBN-13: 978-0313304552
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Russian
  • #88 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Russian

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensable, accurate tool for court interpreters., June 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law (Hardcover)

As an active certified court interpreter, I have found this dictionary a great help. In contrast to anything I had seen before, it is up-to-date, relevant, and practical. The translations of court forms provided at the end of the dictionary are a wonderful aid, not only for an interpreter like me who happens to work in Multnomah County, but for any interpreter or interested party, since the forms are similar in other jurisdictions. The only real deficit is space; there is so much legal terminology one could include, but obviously there were restrictions on space and size.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of my money, August 21, 2009

By 

K. boitsova (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law (Hardcover)

This book was a huge dissappointment! I understand why I wasn't given an option of reviewing it before purchasing. It is created by amateur interpreters for the same kind. I am sorry, but I know what 'parking permit' or 'prostitution' are. However, I couldn't find such simple and common legal concepts such as 'peace order', pro se, peremptory challenge, 'on merits', and a bunch of other very common legal terms. It looks like the authors chose to translate the simplest legal terms rather than work a bit harder. The book is also full of typos and spelling mistakes. Do not buy this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensable, long-awaited reference., November 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: English-Russian Dictionary of American Criminal Law (Hardcover)

I have found this dictionary to be a godsend for me in my work as a Court Interpreter of Russian. Previous Russian-English legal dictionaries I have consulted were frustratingly outdated and often inaccurate, filled with archaic and irrelevant terms, and based primarilly on British English and law. The Braun dictionary is very up-to-date and relevant, based on current American court usage. It even has some useful slang terms. Many terms are accompanied by examples. The translations of several commonly-used court and police forms ("Statement of Defendant on Plea of Guilty", "Miranda Rights", "Diversion Agreement", etc.) are wonderful; I use them as a "cheat sheet" in my work. I believe this reference work will be found indispensable by court interpreters such as myself, lawyers desiring to learn some relevant Russian, and legal translators. The only 'faults' I could find were the occasional typo and a few terms I've come across that are not in the book. On the whole, it's an extraordinary work and well worth the investment.