The use of terms in legal texts

Extensive work is being carried out in the Republic of Kazakhstan to unify legal terminology; however, inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the translation of terms into the state language remain in many normative legal acts. The authors argue that contradictions between the Kazakh and Russian versions of legal texts largely stem from the lack of terminological uniformity. Since independence, the development of the national legal language has gained importance, yet the authenticity and semantic equivalence of bilingual legal texts have not been fully ensured. The Message of the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan states that constitutional legality can be guaranteed only when legal norms in both languages are formulated equivalently in meaning. This article provides a comparative analysis of current legislation and highlights typical errors resulting from literal translation of legal terminology.

1. Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (1997, July 11). Law No. 151. Astana: Adilet. Retrieved November 18, 2025, from http://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/Z97000151

2. Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2009, June 22). Message on the state of constitutional legality No. 09-5/1. Astana: Adilet. Retrieved November 18, 2025, from http://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/K0900009

3. Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2014, July 3). Law No. 226-V. Astana: Adilet. Retrieved November 18, 2025, from http://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/K14000226

4. Criminal Executive Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2014, July 5). Law No. 234-V. Astana: Adilet. Retrieved November 18, 2025, from http://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/K14000234

5. Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2014, July 5). Law No. 235-V. Astana: Adilet. Retrieved November 18, 2025, from http://adilet.zan.kz/kaz/docs/K14000235

6. Dulatbekov, N. O., Biyebayeva, A., Syzdyk, B. K., Bozhkarauly, A., & Kyzylov, M. A. (2008). Revival of the biys court and national traditions: Lawmaking and social experience. Karaganda: Bolashak-Baspa.

7. Zakon Newspaper. (2008, November 12). The legal alphabet of a future lawyer. Zakon.