Mafia: legal translation issues

Abstract

Mafia is used as a loan word in English and Russian alike. However, Italian mafia is a much more complex term with deep historical and cultural roots. The article discusses mafia-related terminology and ways to translate it into English and Russian. One of the best options is to use the so-called foreignization strategy, i.e. to retain the term in the source language while providing an appropriate explanation in the target language. To illustrate this point, the author defines the term omerta and suggests ways to translate it.

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