Two Legal Systems and the Term Homicide
Luciana Carvalho Fonseca Corrêa Pinto
How can homicide vary from country to country?
Each legal system has its own vocabulary. It is the translator’s job to search for terms
that often do not fully correspond to the meaning of the word in the source language, or
which may not even exist in the target language. Nevertheless, using the appropriate
word does not only depend on a good dictionary. It also depends on the translator’s
technical knowledge.
Hence, a legal background contributes significantly to the translator’s and interpreter’s
professional success, as such knowledge will be crucial for avoiding erroneous
translations such as homicídio-suicídio and homicídio involuntário (meant to correspond
to the English terms “homicide-suicide” and “involuntary manslaughter,” respectively),
which have no equivalents in the Brazilian system, despite their appearing in renown
Brazilian bilingual dictionaries. Expressions such as these only confuse readers and make
it difficult to understand the text, consequently preventing a complete understanding of
the target legal system.
If we research the crime of homicide in the Brazilian and English systems, we will surely
find terms such as homicídio, homicídio simples, homicídio culposo, homicídio culposo
simples, homicídio culposo qualificado, homicídio doloso, homicídio qualificado, homicídio
privilegiado, homicídio, homicídio simples, homicídio culposo, homicídio culposo simples,
homicídio culposo qualificado, homicídio doloso, homicídio qualificado, homicídio
privilegiado, homicide, manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary
manslaughter, constructive manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and
murder.
These are the terms that I will attempt to translate as precisely as possible by means of
a perfunctory analysis of the Brazilian and English legal systems and by outlining in
general terms the crime of homicide in both legal systems. Finally, I will conclude with a
list of Portuguese/E