Transcript Everything Geeky

Legal English – SEMESTER 2 2005-2006
Chapter One Introduction to Legal English
2006-2-20
Presented by XiaowenCHATPER
Cha,Dept.
Social Science,
Maoming College
1,Legal of
English,2005-2006
II
1
A better prospect for lawyers
who are Legal English experts
 中国加入WTO后，越来越多的外资进入中国
市场，中国的企业也涌出国门寻找商机。企业所
面临众多的涉外法律问题，如知识产权、涉外经
济、国际贸易等。
 巨大的市场需求给涉外律师的业务拓展提供了
契机，然而中国的多数律师由于外语等门槛的阻
碍，很少有能力涉足涉外案件，业务领域相对狭
窄，缺乏国际竞争力。
 如今，有5年以上国内外律师事务所或知名跨
国企业工作经历的人才，成了市场追捧的“宠
儿”。
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Could you tell me the meaning of the
following Para?
PER CURIAM:
(1)
Nathan, a nonresident of NY, appeared
specially in an NY domestic-abuse case
under NY Code chapter 236(1999) to
challenge the court’s personal
jurisdiction over him.
(2)
(3)
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Part I Course Introduction
1. What is Legal English?
2. What can we learn from this course?
3. How do we organize the teaching and
study?
4. Assessment
5. Tips for well-learning
6. Reading list and resources
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I-1.What is Legal English?
 Legal language or the language of
the law
 The language used by lawyers,
judges and jurists, including certain
vocabularies, terms and certain
expression.
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I- 2.What can we learn from this course?
教学内容
教学时数
教学形式
第一部分 基础法律英语介绍
（一）Introduction to Legal English导论
2
讲授与讨论
（二）Legal System 法律制度
3
讲授与讨论
（三）Judicial System 司法体系
3
讲授
（四）Legal Profession 法律职业
2
讲授与讨论
（五）Legal Education 法律教育
2
学生自讲
第二部分 国际法
(六 ) Public Int’l Law and Private Int’l Law
国际公法与国际私法
3
讲授与讨论
(七) International Treaties国际条约
2
讲授
(八) WTO Rules 世贸组织法
3
讲授与讨论
第三部分 实用法律英语
（九）Constitutional law 宪法
2
学生自讲
（十）Criminal Law 刑法
4
讲授与案例
（十一）Contract Law 合同法
4
讲授与案例
(十二) Tort Law 侵权法
4
讲授与案例
(十三) Property Law 财产法
3
讲授与案例
(十四) Civil Procedure 民事诉讼程序
3
讲授与影片观摩
(十五) Corporation Law 公司法
4
讲授与讨论
(十六) Commercial Law 商法
4
讲授与讨论
(十七) Criminal Procedure刑事诉讼程序
4
讲授与影片观摩
(十八) Course Review 复习
2
合计
54
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I- 3.How do we organize the teaching
and study?
A.Lecture (Chinese and English)


Background knowledge of each chapter.
Legal terms occurring in each main-text
B.Seminar (English)



Topics discussion
Case-study (eg. Contract law)
Presentation by group work (eg. Legal Education)
C.Simulation (English)


Negotiation stimulation (eg.Commercial law)
Opening a company (eg.Company law)
D.Movie Watching


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Civil procedure
Criminal procedure
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I- 4.Assessment
A. The general assessed assignments of
lectures or seminars (including writing,
speaking)
B. Two pieces of written assessed
coursework (which MUST be your own
individual work and be fully and
properly referenced)
C. A two hours unseen written examination
in Jun.
D. Your attendance and attitude
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I- 5.Tips for well-learning
A. A good law dictionary
B. Pay more attention to study the background
legal knowledge
C. Pre-reading and review for each lecture or
seminar (the best important)
D. Note-taking is necessary
E. Make use of the e-resources
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I- 6.Reading list
1) 何家弘《法律英语》北京:法律出版社 2004
2) 何主宇《最新法律专业英语》北京:机械工业出版社
3) 赵雁丽《法律英语教程·上下册》西安: 西安交通大学出版社2003
4) 杜金榜 《法律英语阅读教程·1-3册》北京: 对外经济贸易大学出版社2003
5) 赵建 夏国佐主编《法学专业英语教程·上下册》北京: 中国人民大学出版社
1999
6) 沙丽金, 林萍编写 《法律英语教程》北京: 中国政法大学出版社, 1997
7) 唐桂民《法律英语听说教程·上下册》北京: 对外贸易大学出版社, 2004
8) 李宗锇 潘惠仪《英汉法律大词典》北京: 法律出版社, 1998
9) Bryan A. Garner 《牛津现代法律用语词典-A Dictionary of Modern Legal
Usage》北京: 法律出版社, 2002
10)Catherine Elliott, Quinn F., English Legal System, Edinburgh: Pearson
Education Limited, 2002
11) Bradgate Robert, Commercial Law, London: Butterworths, 1995
12) Jill Poole, Contract Law, London: Blackstone Press, 2001
13) John H.Jackson, Legal Problems of International Economic Relations:
cases, Materials and Text on The National and International Regulation of
Transnational Economic Relations, USA: West Publishing Co.,1995
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I- 6.E-Resources
英文互联网资料
法律资源网: www.findlaw.com
Willem C. Vis国际商法模拟仲裁大赛:
www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/moot
PACE大学法学院: www.law.pace.edu/cisg
美国爱荷华州司法网:
www.judicial.state.ia.us/supreme/opinions/20011115/00-0068.asp
美国法律新闻网: www.law.com/lawdictionary
美国芝加哥肯特法学院:
www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lcw/grinke/start.htm
教会组织网: www.ecclesia.org/lawgiver/defs.asp
香港法例资料系统: www.justice.gov.hk
法律英语翻译网: www.lawtran.com
Lexis－Nexis
Westlaw
Swetswise
中文互联网资料
法之精神网: www.lawspirt.com
法律语言学研究网: www.englishresearch.8u8.com
北大法律信息网: www.chinalawinfo.com
厦门大学法学院: www.law.xmu.edu.cn/romanlaw/sub6.htm
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Part II
Elementary Knowledge of law
1.How is law classified?
2.Source of law
3.Language focus
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II-1 Classification of Law
According to different criterions, law can be categorized
in a number of ways.In Anglo-American legal system
countries,
a) Common law and Equity
b) Distinguishing law by looking at to whom the law
is addressed.


Private law relates to individual citizens(contract law, tort law,
property law, company law, family law,etc.)
Public law relates to institutions of government(constitution,
administrative law, criminal law,tax law,etc.)
c) Procedural law and Substantive law


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Procedural law regulates how rights and obligations are
enforced
Substantive law defines rights and obligations.
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II-2 Source of Law
Generally, law comes from sources:constitution,
statutes and court decisions, but every country has
its own features.What we talking about are the
sources of Anglo-American law
English law
Legislation and case law


American law
A. Constitution
B. Statutes
Legislation is produced through
parliamentary system

Enacted by Congress or the
Case law created by judges in the
legislature or a
course of deciding cases(court
state(legislation)
decision, judicial
C. Administrative rules and
decision/common law/equity)
regulation

Legislative bodies give their
power to governmental
entities, eg., EPA,SEC
D. Common law
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Exercise
Match the following Chinese terms with their English
Equivalents by drawing lines between them.
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1) 民法
a) Common law system
2) 刑法
b) Public law
3) 程序法
c) equity
4) 实体法
d) Criminal law
5) 公法
e) Private law
6) 私法
f)
7) 普通法系
g) Procedural law
8) 成文法系
h) Common law
9) 普通法
i)
Substantive law
10) 衡平法
j)
Continental legal system/civil law
system
Civil law
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II- 3 Language focus-Cont’d
Useful everyday expressions
(1)
Expressing one’s idea or opinion
A. As I see, law often forbids or publishes peoples.
B. In my opinion, law is a set of rules which regulate
people’s behavior.
C. For my part, we categorize law on different bases.
D. As far as I concerned, a civil case is brought by one
citizen or body against another citizen or body.
E. In my view, it just means social habits, patterns of
behavior
F. To my mind, they’re books, not laws at least
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II- 3 Language focus -Cont’d
(2)
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Expressing disagreement
I’m not really sure you’re right.
I disagree with you entirely
I’m afraid I don’t agree
I really can’t agree
I wouldn’t agree what you said
I wouldn’t go along with you here
Well, it depends
I’m not so certain
You must be joking
No, I don’t think so really
I don’t agree with either of you.
Practice:
Work in pairs, expressing your disagreement on the following
statement and then trying to put forward your opinion.
What is the best way to study legal English?
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II- 3 Language focus
(3) Classifying
A. Law can be classified into criminal law, civil law,
common law and so on
B. Law can be categorized in a number of ways
C. So we’ve sorted law into many categories
(4) Comparing and differentiating
• The two legal systems vary in may aspects
• The meaning of common law is different when
contrasted with equity
• Can you discern between common law and
statute?
• We distinguish them by looking at to whom the
law is addressed.
• Can you differentiate them?
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Suggested Law Dictionaries
1.美国最权威、发行量最大的由West Publishing Company (西部出版公司) 出
版的《布莱克法律字典》(B lack ’s L aw D ictiona ry ) ,另外比较好的是《牛津
法律辞典》。
2.网络版: www.priweb.com/lawdictionaries.htm
•Butterworth's Legal Words Dictionary.
•Duhaime's Law Dictionary.
•Lawyers.com Merriam Webster Dictionary of Law.
•FindLaw Legal Dictionary
•Law.com Legal Dictionary.
•International Law Dictionary & Directory.
•Eaton County, Michigan Prosecuting Attorney: Common Legal Terms
in Michigan.
•Minnesota Supreme Court Legal Glossary.
•See also OneLook Dictionaries.
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