Law Commons^™

A Model For The Analysis Of The Language Of Lawyers, Robert Alex Chaim

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Lawyers have recently become a favorite target for criticism from both within and without their profession; nowhere are they more vulnerable than in their use of the English language. Whether they imitate cuttlefish by obscuring their paths with ink or simply reflect the complexity of twentieth century civilization with their language presents a question not soon to be resolved. Yet since law must serve society and since language must serve law, the questions concerning lawyers' uses and abuses of language will continue to press. Though common in casual debate, most generalizations about the language of lawyers are difficult--if not impossible-- …