Legal Language
Tiersma (Loyola Law Sch.) has written an interesting descriptive history of how Anglo-American "legalese" developed and continues to thrive as we move into the 21st century. He begins by tracing the roots of legalistic terminology back to Celtic times and then details its expansion during the Anglo-Saxon era as certain words were refined to minimize confusion and emphasize clarity. At the same time, this boom in terminology set the legal profession apart from all others, thereby underscoring its social importance. Tiersma contends that this dual nature of legal language profoundly affects the legal profession to this day. To drive home this theme, he thoroughly examines several facets of legal communication, such as anachronistic language, the wording of state and federal statutes, and even lawyer Johnnie Cochran's oral defense of O.J. Simpson. A scholarly effort that will perhaps be valued more by linguists than by lawyers; recommended for larger public and academic libraries.ASteven Anderson, Gordon Feinblatt Rothman Hoffberger & Hollander, Towson, MDCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.