Language in the Law

This set of eight papers in this volume form part of the proceedings of an international conference on grammar held at the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad, Indian in 1999. The book is a record of modes and practices in the use of language within the context of law. The papers not only examine the different situations that arise in legal processes, but they also unveil the inherent problems and impact of ambiguity and distortion in the uses of legal language, the consequences of cultural constraints on translation of legal texts, the power of interpreters in legal testimony and sources of complexity in legal register. Some of the papers deal with the teaching of the language of the law and the comprehension of particular legal norms, legal records and legal codes. The book examines the nexus between language and the law in various countries and cultures.