Language, Meaning and the Law

Christopher Hutton

ISBN 10: 0748633510 / ISBN 13: 9780748633517

Published by Edinburgh University Press, GB, 2009

About this Item

Language, Meaning and the Law offers an accessible, critical guide to debates about linguistic meaning and interpretation in relation to legal language. Law is an ideal domain for considering fundamental questions relating to how we assign meanings to words, understand and comment on texts, and deal with socially and ideologically significant questions of interpretation. The book argues that theoretical issues of concern to linguists, philosophers, literary theorists and others are illuminated by the demands of the legal context, since law is driven by the need for practical solutions and for determinate outcomes based on explicit reasoning. Topics covered include: the relationship of linguistics to legal theory, indeterminacy and statutory interpretation, the theory and practice of using dictionaries in law, defamation and language in the public sphere, and the distinction between perjury and deception. This book does not assume specialist knowledge of the field, and is designed as a self-contained, advanced introduction to a fascinating area of study. The reader will gain an overall insight into issues and debates about meaning and interpretation, as well as an understanding of how these questions are shaped by the legal context. Features:*Concise introduction to the study of linguistic meaning and its role within legal theory*Exercises and materials for classroom discussion, workshops etc.*Guide to further reading.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780748633517

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Language, Meaning and the Law
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, GB
• Publication Date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0748633510
• ISBN 13: 9780748633517
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 404 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Language, Meaning and the Law offers an accessible, critical guide to debates about linguistic meaning and interpretation in relation to legal language. Law is an ideal domain for considering fundamental questions relating to how we assign meanings to words, understand and comment on texts, and deal with socially and ideologically significant questions of interpretation. The book argues that theoretical issues of concern to linguists, philosophers, literary theorists and others are illuminated by the demands of the legal context, since law is driven by the need for practical solutions and for determinate outcomes based on explicit reasoning. Topics covered include: the relationship of linguistics to legal theory, indeterminacy and statutory interpretation, the theory and practice of using dictionaries in law, defamation and language in the public sphere, and the distinction between perjury and deception. This book does not assume specialist knowledge of the field, and is designed as a self-contained, advanced introduction to a fascinating area of study. The reader will gain an overall insight into issues and debates about meaning and interpretation, as well as an understanding of how these questions are shaped by the legal context. Features:*Concise introduction to the study of linguistic meaning and its role within legal theory*Exercises and materials for classroom discussion, workshops etc.*Guide to further reading.

About the Author

Chris Hutton is professor in the School of English at the University of Hong Kong. He holds a BA and a DPhil from Oxford University, an MA from Columbia University, and recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in English and Hong Kong Laws at Manchester Metropolitan University. His publications include Linguistics and the Third Reich, Race and the Third Reich, and Language, Law, and Definition.