PROBLEMS

OF LEGAL LANGUAGE

ARUNA KAMMILA
ASSISSTANT PROFESSOR
DSNLU
Problems
• Inexact science like philosophy, psychology and other social sciences.
• The ambiguity in human language, created problems in legal language.
• Noun or adjective
• Law firm # legal firm
• Legal doctrine # law doctrine
• Uncertainty and doubt
just, morally good
e.g. right <
correct, true
Such uncertainty causes disastrous results
• Incompleteness of the human language:
• Due to this true interpretation can’t be made
• Is album a book – no
• Is a bicycle a carriage – no.
• Is flag a document – no.
• Change of meaning time to time:
• Narrow, widened or modified.
• E.g. Asylum- earlier mentally sick persons stay in for treatment.
• Accident – an unexpected occurred without appropriate cause.
Limited Meaning of Words

• Correct and Perfect definition for Antonymous words

• Open and close - ajar
• Night and day
• White and black
• Good and bad
Rhetoric Language
• The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the
exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
• Language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect, but
which is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.
Verbosity
Verbose Expression Exact Expression
Give consideration to Consider
Give goods to Delivery
At the time of his birth When he was born
Have need of Need
Make provision for Provide for
Legalistic
Legalistic Ordinary
Be unable to Cannot
Adequate number of Enough
Be empowered to May
Be able to Can
Abutting Next to
Per diem per day
In Case If
Previous to Before
Pursuant to In accordance with
Until such time as Until
It is directed Shall
In order to To
It shall be legal May
In the interest of For
Per annum Per Year