具体描述
In this volume the author examines verbal constructions in prescriptive legal texts written in English. Modal auxiliaries such as shall, may and must are analysed, as well as indicative tenses such as the present simple, and also non-finite constructions such as the -ing form and -ed participles. Results are based on specially compiled corpora of prescriptive texts coming from a wide range of English-speaking countries and also international organizations such as the European Union and the UN. The author also analyses the nature, extent and impact of the calls for change in legal language coming from the Plain Language Movement. Although legal language tends to be depicted as being highly conservative and unchanging, the author shows that in certain parts of the English-speaking world a minor revolution would appear to be taking place, while in other parts there is greater resistance to change.
作者简介
目录信息
1. Prescriptive v. descriptive legal texts
2. Legal language, legal systems
3. The specificities of prescriptive legal texts in English
CHAPTER 2 The Linguistic and Pragmatic Functions
1. Speech act theory,performativity and enactment
2. The communicative function and the pragmatic function of prescriptive legal texts
3. Vgueness v. precision
CHAPTER 3 Tense, Aspect and Modality in Prescriptive Legal Texts in English
1. Tense ,aspect and modality: introduction
2. The temporal dimension of prescriptive legal texts
CHAPTER 4 The 'World Data'Corpus
Criteria for selecting the 'World data'
CHAPTER 5 Verbal Constructions in Prescriptive Legal Texts
1. Verbal Constructions in prescriptive Legal Texts
2. Modals and semi-modals(shall/may/must/should/will/be to /would/can/could/……)
3. Mood
4. Indicative forms
5. Voice: Passive v. active form
6. Non-finite verbal constructions
7. Concluding remarks
CHAPTER 6 The Future of Legal Texts in English and possible effects on verbal constructions
1. The Plain Language Movement
2. Plain Language proposals for reforming legal texts
3. The specificities of prescriptive legal texts in English
4. The structure of prescriptive legal texts
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