Comparative legal linguistics / by Heikki E.S. Mattila, translated by Christopher Goddard.

Aldershot, Hanmpshire : Ashgate, 2006.

26456

Law -- Language.

Law -- Interpretation and construction.

1. Legal language and legal linguistics --2. Functions of legal language --3. Characteristics of legal language --4. Legal terminology --5. The heritage of legal Latin --6. Legal German --7. Legal French --8. Legal English --9. Lexical comprehension and research needs.

This book examines legal language as a language for special purposes, evaluating the functions and characteristics of legal language and the terminology of law. Using examples drawn from major and lesser legal languages, it examines the major legal languages themselves, beginning with Latin through German, French and English. Each chapter includes an historical overview of the growth of the language, its international use, its coherence in the various countries using it and its relationship to cognate legal languages.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

0754648745

347 p. ; 24 cm