Language And The Law

Description:
'Language and the Law' looks at some common areas of interaction between linguistics and the legal process. Each chapter pairs a problem in language with a corresponding issue in law. Sanford Schane thoroughly examines each topic both from a legal point of view and a linguistic perspective, using excerpts from cases where judges in their decisions have had to confront particular legal issues having linguistic consequences. The book requires no previous background in law or linguistics, as all concepts and notions from the two fields are explained in a non-technical manner. This fascinating introduction to the intersection of language and law will be of interest to professionals from both fields as well as to students and general readers encountering this interdisciplinary area for the first time.

Review:
''This book is the product of a distinguished linguist's many years of fruitful thinking about important areas in both language and the law.' Professor Roger W. Shuy'

Table of Contents:
Preface by Roger W. Shuy; Introduction; 1. Ambiguity in Language and Misunderstanding in Law; 2. Linguistic Metaphor and Legal Fiction; 3. Speech Acts and Legal Hearsay; 4. Speech Acts and Legal Promises in Contract Law; Conclusion; Appendix: Extracts from Sample Cases; References.

Author Biography:
Sanford Schane is Research Professor of Linguistics at the University of California, San Diego, USA. Roger W. Shuy is Distinguished Research Professor of Linguistics, Emeritus, Georgetown University, USA.