法律英语词汇特点

1、法律英语词汇特点郑达轩法律语言/法律英语(langue of the law)语言文学（language and literature）Communicative language专门用途英语（English for special purposes, ESP）: greater specialization in the teaching of English 行业用途语言(English for Professional Purposes, EPP)Language for trade, marketing, tourism, legislation, policy-makingLegal

2、 EnglishInternational organizations and institutions, government agencies or departments, multinational corporations, import-export firms, the media, the film and tourist industry, information technology, web activities(foreign offices conducting international businesses, national or international c

3、ourts, legal form and methods for diplomatic controversies, judicial and arbitral proceedings etc.)用词特点 (1)词汇重复词汇重复 （The repetition of lexical items） Eg: “The church must comply with the requirements of the zoning and building codes before it may legally operate its school . Each of these codes make

4、s accommodation for uses that legally existed prior to enactment of the code. However, the church never operated a school prior to the codes enactment, so full compliance with the codes is required for the new use involved in operating a school .”用词特点（cont.） (2)并列使用近义词或同义词并列使用近义词或同义词 concurrent use

5、of synonym and near synonyms (sometimes redundancy_doublets or triplets ) Eg：“The servantt s liability stems from the duty owed to a third person under the law requiring the servant to act so as not to injure others.” Other examples： acknowledge and confess(供认;承认) aid and abet(教唆) alter and change(变

6、更) any matter，fact or thing(一切事情/一切事项) breaking and entering(闯入) Cancel, annul and set aside（取消） cease and desist (制止) false and untrue (非真实的，虚假的) fixtures and fittings(附属物) Force and effect (效力) full and final (完备的;决定性的) goods and chattels(动产;私人动产) last will and testament (遗嘱) Known and distinguish

7、ed as (称作) nominate, constitute and appoint(提名，指定) null and void(无效;失效) request and require（要求） rights and interests(权益) terms and conditions (of an Agreement) (协议条件)用词特点（cont.） （3）古词、旧词的频繁使用）古词、旧词的频繁使用 frequent Use of the archaic words or phrases Esp. archaic adverbs and prepositional phrases afore

8、mentioned ( =previously mentioned）, aforesaid ( = above) ,behoove ( = to be necessary/ tobe proper) ,foregoing ,forthwith ( = immediately) , henceforth( = from now on) , hitherto ( = until this time/ up to now) ,pursuant to ( = under/ according to） hereafter , herebefore ,hereby ,herein ,herinabove

9、( = above) ,hereinafter ,hereinunder( = below) , hereof , heretofore ( = before/ up to this time) ,hereunder , herewith ( eg. enclosed herewith = enclosed) thereabout , thereafter ( from that time on ) ,therefrom, therein , thereof , thereon , thereto ,thereunto , therewith whereas ( = because/ cons

10、idering that/while on the contrary/ inasmuch as ) , whereat , whereby ,wherefore，wheresoever , wherein ( = there ) ,whereof ,whereon ,whereupon Pursuant to Without prejudice to Subject to At the motion of notwithstanding用词特点（cont.）（4）外来词语的使用）外来词语的使用 loan words or phrases拉丁词汇拉丁词汇 “actus legitimus(合法行

11、为)” “ad hoc (特别,特定;临时;特殊)” “ad referendum(尚待核准,待进一步审议)” “amicus cruiae (协助法庭解释某类法律问题的人,法庭之友 )”“animus (意愿,意图;心素)” “arguendo (for the sake of argument 在争辩中)” “bancus(法院;法官席)” “billa vera (正式的起诉书)” “bona fide (真诚地,善意地辩正当地)” “cadit quaestio (辨论终结)” “capias(拘票,拘捕令;令状)” “certiorari (上级法院向下级法院调取案卷复审的令状)”

12、“coemptio (买卖婚姻)” ” coram(在某人面前)” “corpusj uris (法典,法令大全)” “de jure (法律上,按照法律的,合法 的)” “decessit sine prole (死后无子女)” “dies cedit (权利义务成立期,债权发生日期)”“dolus antecedens (事前犯意)” “durante lite (诉讼进行期间)” , “en banc (全体出庭法官听审)” “et alii (以及其他事项,以及其他等等)” “Expressio unius est exclusio alterius. (明示其一即排斥其他)” , “

13、Falsus in uno ,falsus omnibus. (一事假,事事假)” “ fieri facias (财物扣押令,扣押债务人动产令)” “habeas corpus(人身保护令状)” “inter alia (among other things 在其他事物中/除了别的以外/特别是/其中包括)” “juscriminale (刑法)” “lex situs = lex rei sitae (物所在地法)” per curiam( by the court 依法院/为法院所定/引用法官判词)” “prima facie (初步的;表面的)” , “pro bono (为了 的利益)

14、” , “quorum(法定人数)” “res judicata (既决案件;已判决的事项/事件)” “seriatum (in turn/ serially/ one after another 依次/逐条)” Stare decisis(遵循先例，因循先例)“supersedeas(中止执行令;中止诉讼令状)” , “stare decisis(服从先例原则,遵照先例原则;根据判例)”“vis major (不可抗力;不能抵抗的力量)” 法语 “appeal”、“assault”、“contract”、“damages”、“defendant”、“heir”、“larceny”、 “lie

15、n”、“mortgage”、“plaintiff”、“pleadings”、“reprieve”、“tort”、“treason”、“trespass”、“verdict” “cestui que trust ( = beneficiary 信托收益人 )” , “cy - pres = as near as possible1 尽可能地,力求近似;近似原则” “en ventre sa mere ( = in its mother s womb,腹中胎儿,待生胎儿” “feme covert = married woman 有夫之妇,已婚女子” “save = except除 之 外” “s

16、eisin/ seizin = possession or ownership 占有物;占有土地,土地的占有;依法占有的财产 用词特点（cont.） (5)法律术语和行话的使用法律术语和行话的使用/Terms of art and Argot 法律术语根据大卫法律术语根据大卫麦林科夫麦林科夫(David Melinkoff)的解释的解释,是是“具有特定意义的专门化词具有特定意义的专门化词” (a technical word with a specific meaning) ,根据布赖恩根据布赖恩 A加纳的解加纳的解释释,是是“在某一特定专业中具有特定、准确意义的词集在某一特定专业中具有特定、

17、准确意义的词集 ( words having specific , precise significance in a given specialty)” “certiorari”就是一个法律术语就是一个法律术语,它出现在法律文件之中它出现在法律文件之中,意思是意思是“上级法院向下级法院发出的调取案卷进行复上级法院向下级法院发出的调取案卷进行复审的令状审的令状” ,但实际法律生活中但实际法律生活中,人们都会从文化背景人们都会从文化背景范围内去了解该词的确切含义范围内去了解该词的确切含义,现在人们使用该词时都现在人们使用该词时都会明白法律工作中上诉程序的运行情况会明白法律工作中上诉程序的运行情况

18、,上级法院的自上级法院的自由裁量权的大小由裁量权的大小,也都明白一国最高法院到底是如何选也都明白一国最高法院到底是如何选择它来听审案件的。择它来听审案件的。共核词汇在法律语境中的特定法律意义 例词 一般文体中的词义 法律文体中的意义action 行为、行动 诉讼、起诉权 action in chief ,主诉,本诉; action at law ,法律诉讼,诉讼行为Adopt 采纳, 采用, 采取 收养;正式通过 eg：adopted law ,继受 法; to adopt a resolution ,通过一项决议Advance 前进, 进行, 进展 预付款,贷款eg: advance sb.

19、 money预付某人一些钱Appeal 呼吁, 号召; 请求 上诉;控诉;上诉状 to appeal against a finding ,不服裁决的上诉arm 臂; 前肢; 扶手;臂状物 权力;效力 arm of the law 法律的权力; Justice has long arms. 法网恢恢,疏而不漏bar (铁、木 等)条, 杆, 棒; 栅; ( 光、色等)线,条法庭的围栏; ( the B) ,法庭(审判席、律师席、被告 席; ( the B) ,律师的职业, 律师界; 阻碍,阻止eg：bar association 律师协会; be calledto the bar ,取得律师资

20、格; to bar sb. f rom stationing at rial ,阻止某人起诉challenge 挑战;要求决斗; 质问, 怀疑； 对表决或投票资格提 出 质 问/怀疑;要求陪审员回避 challenge of juror , 反对某人作陪审员;to challenge for cause ,有正当理由 要求某陪审员回避 exhibit 展览, 陈列, 展出; 表示, 显示;展览会 物证,证物;证据;证件to exhibit register ,物 证登记册 instrument 仪 器/器 械;手段, 工具;乐器 证券;契约;文件 negotiable instrument ,

21、 流通票据; legal instrument , 法律文件； law of instrument（draft, promissory note and cheque）票据法 Major 较大的;较年长 的; 成 年人; 专业; 大音阶;大前提 已成年者,成人 Minor 较轻微的;较次要的;次要; 学科 未成年人,未成年 minor offender ,未成年罪犯 Party 党,党派, 政党; 党 派 活动,社交性或娱乐性的宴会 条约、会议、诉讼等有关的一方/当事人 both parties ,双方当事人（两造） sentence 句子;乐句 量刑，判决,判刑;科刑 sentenced o

22、ffender ,已决犯; sentence of life imprisonment , 判处无期徒刑 “行话” (argot） case on all fours” ,” adhesion contract (附意合同/格式合同)” , “attractive nuisance” , “case at bar (法律案件)” ,“case - in - chief” ,“clean hands (清白无暇)” , “cloud on title (所有权的缺陷)” , “court below (下级法院)” , “four corners of the document (全部文件)”

23、, “horse case” ,“instant case” ,“off the record (不公开的/非正式的)” , “pierce the corporate veil” , “reasonable man(有理性的人)” , “res ipsa loquitur (事情不言自明)”用词特点（cont.） (6)修饰限制类的形容词或副词的使用问题修饰限制类的形容词或副词的使用问题limited use of the Adjectives and intensifying adverbs eg: splendid, wise, disgusting, happy (adjectives

24、) very, rather (intensifying adverbs)用词特点（cont.） （7）Use of the Chameleon hued words变色词变色词的使用的使用(use of the vague terms ) “all reasonable efforts” reasonable(合理的) substantial(巨大的) meaningful(有意义的) satisfactory(符合要求的) sufficient(足够的) excessive(额外的) incidental(辅助的) proper(适当的) obvious(明显的)等 (8)表示抽象概念的名

25、词的使用 Use of the nominalized nouns Wisdom prepares for the worst, but the folly leaves the worst for the day it comes. _R. Cecil 翻译： 智者防患未然，而笨人临渴掘井。(9) 不可容忍的代词使用问题不可容忍的代词使用问题Substitute words not tolerated()eg.he, she, it, they(pronoun reference); do; this, that(anaphora) Special Use of such words as “same”、“said”与与“such”“It was snowing and icy on January 9 ,1991 ,when Mr . Smith , the plaintiff , was driving home from work along a deserted highway in his 1990 Honda Accord with chains on SAID vehicl