Language and Law

Alan Durant is Professor of Communication in the School of Law at Middlesex University, London.Janny HC Leung is an Associate Professor in the School of English at University of Hong Kong.

"This book fills a vital need in the teaching of Forensic Linguistics - a rapidly developing field that has adequate breadth and depth of teaching resources. The content is well structured, chunked and contextualised to make it digestible for undergraduates, and readily integrated into lectures and tutorial sessions. I heartily commend Durant and Leung for putting this together."Paul Sidwell, Australian National University"With ample supporting data, a range of topics covering the intersections between language and the law are presented through well written introductory sections, followed by more thought-provoking readings. This is an ideal key text for undergraduate modules but will be equally useful for stimulating postgraduate discussion and research."Michelle Aldridge, Cardiff University, UK"Forensic linguistics and the language of the courtroom are becoming increasingly important domains for linguists to investigate, and this handsome volume provides insightful, authoritative analysis of all aspects of language and the law in a student-friendly presentation that includes a wealth of detailed analysis and fascinating material."David Deterding, Universiti Brunei Darussalam"An innovative and thoughtful overview of law and linguistics, giving students valuable examples for practice and study. Instructors and students will find this text a cogent and firm basis for an introduction to language and law."Gail Stygall, University of Washington, USA

• A Introduction: Key Concepts1 What Kind of Variety is ‘Legal Language’?2 The Historical Development of Legal English3 Legal Genres4 Participant Roles and Speech Styles in the Courtroom5 Persuasion in Court6 Interpreting Meaning in Legislative Texts7 The Vocabulary of Legal Power8 Legal Protection and Regulation of Language9 Forensic Evidence10 Legal Order and Linguistic DiversityB Development: Contemporary Approaches 1 Linguistic Features of Legal Language2 Functions of Legal Language3 Genre Analysis of Legal Texts4 Spoken Discourse in the Courtroom 5 Linguistic Strategies Used by Lawyers6 Pragmatics and Legal Interpretation7 Legal Speech Acts8 Disputing ‘Ordinary Language’9 Techniques in Forensic Linguistics10 Linguistic Challenges in Bilingual and Multilingual Legal OrderC Exploration: Analyses and Examples1 Attitudes towards Legal Language2 Reforming Legal Language3 Reading a Statute4 Style and Restrictions in Courtroom Interaction5 Rhetorical Techniques in Legal Advocacy6 Deciding Legal Meaning7 Performatives in Speech and Writing8 Misleading Language in Adverts 9 Language Data as Evidence10 Same Law, Different TextsD Extension: Engaging with the Scholarship1 Law as a Profession of Words2 Public Understanding of Legal Language3 The Language of Jury Trial4 Courtroom Language: Theory and Practice5 Talking the Language of Lawyers6 Perspectives on Legal Interpretation7 Understanding Legal Speech Acts and Rules8 Language Struggles Online9 Resolving Disputed Meaning in Court10 Bilingualism and Jury Service