Language, languages and Law

Authors

  • Paulo Ferreira da Cunha Universidade do Porto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/1521

Abstract

This paper discusses the question of legal language, emphasizing the importance and sometimes need to use Latin in legal documents. In order to work with this topic, we tried to understand the reasons for the use of Latin expressions rather than the national language in legal texts and the impossibility, in most cases, of translating those expressions. Based on this initial premise of the criticism of the use of Latin in the legal field, we seek to briefly examine the rituals, traditions and technicalities in law and how they are influenced by the changes brought by globalization.

Key words: law, Latin, language.

Author Biography

Paulo Ferreira da Cunha, Universidade do Porto

possui graduação em Ciências Jurídico-Políticas pela Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra (1984) , mestrado em Ciências Jurídico-Políticas pela Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra (1990) , doutorado em Ciências Jurídico-Políticas pela Universidade de Coimbra (1995) e doutorado em Direito pela Universidade de Direito, Economia e Ciências Sociais de Paris (1992) . Atualmente é Professor Associado com Agragação da Universidade do Minho, Professor Catedrático Convidado da Universidade Portucalense Infante D. Henrique e Professor Catedrático Convidado da Universidade Internacional da Figueira da Foz.

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Published

2012-03-01

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2011): July/December

Section

Articles

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