A description of non-cooperatives in legal english in Kenya, based on grice's principle of cooperation
Abstract
This project investigates the features which characterize the register of the
lawyers. And how this features make the jargon the most difficult to be
understood by people outside 1helegal field.
A description is made of this jargon based on four features: wordiness, lack
of clarity, pomposity, and dullness of the jargon. In addition, attention is
given to the foreign words, which constitute much of 1his jargon. These
words are interpreted to the understanding of the layman and their historical
ongm given.
The theoretical framework used, for the establishment of the inadequacy of
this jargon is the Griceans principle, or the four maxims of conversation.
The project applies the methodology of issuing questionnaires constitute two
types of questions: open-ended questions and closed questions. Their
responses are analysed and conclusions made based on the data.
The findings indicated 1hat legal English is complex jargon that does not
reach the layman since it is very different from ordinary English.
The response from the samples used showed that those outside the legal field
vehemently support the simplification of legal English whereas those in the
field showed a lot of conservatism, although a few agreed that legal English
is a very complexjargon as the research was out to prove.
Citation
Masters of artsPublisher
Department of linguistics and African languages