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Article published In: Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 16:2 (1993) ► pp.86–122

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Legal English

Subject specific literacy and genre theory

 | Write it Right – DSP (Met. East) English Support Unit UNSW
Published online: 1 January 1993
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https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.16.2.05ied
In this paper student Case Notes are analysed to exemplify the degrees of linguistic intricacy that come into play within the context of legal discourse – the ‘target discourse1-and to demonstrate that apprenticeship into this particular academic discourse community involves more than familiarisation with content specific material on the one hand and the control of common English structural conventions on the other. The discussion sets out to show that the intricate and often ‘hidden’ (as in ‘not made explicit’) linguistic demands academic discourses impose on NESB students need to be brought out into the open to highlight and clarify the association between specific lexicogrammatical realisations and generic meanings in the discourse. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for linguistically informed assistance for NESB learners at the tertiary level.
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Clarke, Jumani
2017. The rhetorical structure of students’ legal problem essays: Towards a systemic comparison of student texts. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies 35:1 ► pp. 63 ff. DOI logo
Hartig, Alissa J.
2016. Conceptual blending in legal writing: Linking definitions to facts. English for Specific Purposes 42 ► pp. 66 ff. DOI logo
Hafner, Christoph A.
2010. A Multi-perspective Genre Analysis of the Barrister’s Opinion: Writing Context, Generic Structure, and Textualization. Written Communication 27:4 ► pp. 410 ff. DOI logo
Candlin, C.N., V.K. Bhatia & C.H. Jensen
2002. Developing legal writing materials for English second language learners: problems and perspectives. English for Specific Purposes 21:4 ► pp. 299 ff. DOI logo
Beasley, Colin J. & Cecil A. L. Pearson
1999. Facilitating the Learning of Transitional Students: strategies for success for all students. Higher Education Research & Development 18:3 ► pp. 303 ff. DOI logo
Crosling, Glenda
1996. Multi-level structure of meaning in a business law tutorial. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 19:1 ► pp. 89 ff. DOI logo

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