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Several English and Russian legal dictionaries

A law dictionary is a dictionary that is designed and compiled to give information about
terms used in the field of law.

Types

Distinctions are made among various types of law dictionaries.[1]

Differentiating factors include:

Number of languages covered: a monolingual law dictionary covers one language, a

bilingual covers two.

Number of fields covered: a single-field dictionary covers an entire field of law,

whereas a sub-field dictionary covers a part of a field of law, e.g. a dictionary of
contract law.

Quality

A good bilingual law dictionary needs to take the users' expected language and
professional competences into account. The lexicographers therefore must consider the

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 following aspects: dictionary user research, dictionary typology, structure, and
presentation of the relevant information. When making a law dictionary, the
lexicographers attempt to present the information in such a way that the user is not
burdened with excessive lexicographic information costs.[1][2]

Functions

As pointed out in Nielsen 1994, law dictionaries can serve various functions. The
traditional law dictionary with definitions of legal terms serves to help users understand
the legal texts they read (a communicative function) or to acquire knowledge about legal
matters independent of any text (a cognitive function) – such law dictionaries are usually
monolingual. Bilingual law dictionaries may also serve a variety of functions. First, they
may have entry words in one language and definitions in another language – these
dictionaries give help to understand legal texts, usually written in a foreign language, and
to acquire knowledge, usually about a foreign legal system. Second, bilingual law
dictionaries with entry words in one language and equivalents in another language
provide help to translate legal texts, into or from a foreign language, and sometimes also
to produce legal texts, usually in a foreign language.[1]

Formats

With the advance of technology, the legal dictionary has made its way onto the Internet
and smartphones. Law students and litigants can now look up the meaning of legal
terms in seconds.[3]

Legal terminology textbook

Unlike a law dictionary, which arranges and defines legal words and phrases individually
and in alphabetical order, a legal terminology textbook arranges and defines legal words
and phrases in groups and by topic. As a result, a student or other person interested in
understanding an array of related legal words and phrases may prefer to use a legal

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 terminology textbook instead.[2]

See also

Black's Law Dictionary

Bouvier's Law Dictionary

Encyclopedia

List of legal abbreviations

Wex

References

V. Sandro Nielsen (1994). The Bilingual LSP Dictionary: Principles and Practice for
Legal Language. Gunter Narr Verlag.

Y. Sandro Nielsen (2008). "The Effect of Lexicographical Information Costs on

Dictionary Making and Use". Lexikos. 18. pp. 170–189.

`. See, e.g., Glossary of legal terms at the New York Courts website. Accessed
March 28, 2013.

External links

Law dictionary at Curlie

Mary Whisner & Cheryl Nyberg (Oct 4, 2010). "Legal Dictionaries" . Gallagher Law
Library, University of Washington School of Law.

Last edited 5 days ago by Me, Myself, and I are Here

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