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LANGUAGE AND THE LAW
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1999
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Language PolicyLegal ImplicationsAddressing Language IssuesLawLegal StudyGenuine ImportanceLinguistic TheoryApplied LinguisticsForensic LinguisticsLanguage DocumentationThe LawLegal TheoryLanguage StudiesLanguage PolicingLegal PhilosophyLegal PracticeLanguage UsePhilosophy Of LanguageLegal StyleLegal LanguageLinguisticsCredit Card Agreement
Law functions as a linguistic institution, with its rules and processes encoded in language and influencing many aspects of society. The study highlights the significance of legal language for applied linguists who address real‑world language issues.
Law is language. It is not solely language, since it is a social institution manifested also in non-linguistic ways, but it is a profoundly linguistic institution. Laws are coded in language, and the processes of the law are mediated through language. The legal system puts into action a society's beliefs and values, and it permeates many areas of life, from a teacher's responsibilities to a credit card agreement. The language of the law is therefore of genuine importance, particularly for people concerned with addressing language issues and problems in the real world—that is, Applied Linguists.