The study of law has been recognized for centuries as a basic intellectual discipline in European universities. However, only in recent years has it become a feature of undergraduate programs in Canadian universities. Traditionally legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person. Happily, the older and more continental view of legal education is establishing itself in a number of Canadian universities and some have even begun to offer undergraduate degrees in law.

If the study of law is beginning to establish itself as part and parcel of a general education, its aims and methods should appeal directly to journalism educators. Law is a discipline which encourages responsible judgment. On the one hand, it provides opportunities to analyze such ideas as justice, democracy and freedom. On the other, it links these concepts to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news. For example, notions of evidence and fact, of basic rights and public interest are at work in the process of journalistic judgment and production just as in courts of law. Sharpening judgment by absorbing and reflecting on law is a desirable component of a journalist’s intellectual preparation for his or her career.

But the idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen rests on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media. Politics or, more broadly, the functioning of the state, is a major subject for journalists. The better informed they are about the way the state works, the better their reporting will be. In fact, it is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories.

Furthermore, the legal system and the events which occur within it are primary subjects for journalists. While the quality of legal journalism varies greatly, there is an undue reliance amongst many journalists on interpretations supplied to them by lawyers. While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments. These can only come from a well-grounded understanding of the legal system.

答案及分析：

1. 原文：Traditionally legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person.

分析：has been viewed…as是一个短语，意思是“被视为”；Preserve在这里作名词用，意思是“某人或某一部分人专门从事的事物，或专有的权利”；Institutions与前面的universities是同义词。

参考译文：长期以来，在这些大学里，学习法律被看作是律师的特权，而不是受教育者必备知识的一部分。

 

2. 原文：On the other, it links these concepts to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news.

分析：manner意思是“方式”、“方法”； is parallel to意思是“类似于”； cover与新闻或记者在一起用时意思是“报道”。 journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news是定语从句，修饰the links。

参考译文：另一方面，法学把这些观念同日常实际联系起来。这种联系方式类似于新闻记者平时报道以及对新闻发表评论时所建立的联系。

 

3. But the idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen rests on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media.

分析：that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen是idea的同位语从句，起补充说明作用。rests on是短语，意思是“基于”，“以……为依据”。

参考译文：有一种看法认为，记者必须比普通公民更深刻地理解法律。但这种观点是基于对新闻媒体的既定常规和特殊职责的理解。

 

4. 原文：In fact, it is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories.

分析：see“理解”； have a grasp of“掌握”； stories是个多义词，在不同的语境下应灵活翻译，这里与记者连用，指“报道”。 who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution从语法结构上来说是定语从句，但实际上这里表示条件，可译为条件句。

参考译文：事实上，如果记者对加拿大宪法的基本特征缺乏清楚把握，那么很难想象他们怎么能胜任政治方面的报道。

 

5. 原文：While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments.

分析：这里的stories 与上一句一样，意思是“报道”；notions of significance相当于significant notions“有价值的理念”，“重要的理念”。

参考译文：尽管律师的意见和态度可能会增加报道的深度，但记者最好还是应该依靠自己认为重要的理念做出自己的判断。

 

全文参考译文：

几个世纪以来，欧洲各所大学一直认为法学是一门基本知识学科。然而，只是在最近几年，法学才成为加拿大大学本科专业的一个特色。传统上，这些院校一直把学习法律看作是律师的特权，而不是每一个受过教育的人必备的知识才能。可喜的是，那种更古老、更具欧洲大陆特色的法律教育观点正在加拿大许多大学逐步确立起来，有些大学甚至已经开始授予法学学士学位。

如果法学正在逐渐成为普通教育的重要组成部分的话，那么其目标和方法应该会立刻吸引新闻教育者。法律是一门鼓励作出负责任的判断的学科。一方面，它为分析诸如正义、民主和自由这样的概念提供机会；另一方面，法学把这些观念同日常实际联系起来，这种联系方式类似于新闻记者平时报道以及对发表新闻评论时所建立的联系。比如，有关证据和事实、基本权利和公共利益这样的概念，在新闻判断和新闻编写过程中，如同在法庭上一样发挥作用。通过吸收法律知识、对法律进行反思来提高判断能力，这是一名记者为从事新闻事业应该做的一项知识准备。

有一种看法认为，记者必须比普通公民更深刻地理解法律。但这种观点是基于对新闻媒体的既定常规和特殊职责的理解。政治，或者广义上说，国家的职能，是新闻记者报道的一个主要方面。对国家运转的机制了解得越多，报道就会越出色。事实上，如果记者对加拿大宪法的基本特征缺乏清楚把握，那么很难想象他们怎么能胜任政治方面的报道。

而且，法律体系及体系中发生的事件是新闻记者报道的主要题材。虽然法律报道的质量相差很大，但是许多新闻记者都过分依赖律师所提供的看法。尽管律师的意见和态度可能会增加报道的深度，但记者最好还是应该依靠自己认为重要的理念做出自己的判断。而这些判断只能来自于对法律体系的充分理解。