Law dictionary

Several English and Russian legal dictionaries

A law dictionary is a dictionary that is designed and compiled to give information about terms used in the field of law.

Nielsen 1994 discusses different types of law dictionaries. A distinction is made between different types of law dictionaries. A monolingual law dictionary covers one language, a bilingual covers two.

A distinction may also be made as to its coverage. A law dictionary that covers an entire field of law is called a single-field dictionary, whereas a dictionary that covers a part of a field of law is called a sub-field dictionary, e.g. a dictionary of contract law. If the law dictionary attempts to cover all the terms in the field of law, it is called a maximizing dictionary, and if it attempts to cover only a limited number of terms, it is called a minimizing dictionary.

A good bilingual law dictionary needs to take the users' expected language and professional competences into account. The lexicographers therefore need to consider the following aspects: dictionary user research, dictionary typology, structure and presentation of the relevant information. When making a law dictionary, the lexicographers attempt to present the information in such a way that the user is not burdened with excessive lexicographic information costs.

As pointed out in Nielsen 1994, law dictionaries can serve different functions. The traditional law dictionary with definitions of legal terms serves to help users understand the legal texts they read (a communicative function) or to help users acquire knowledge about legal matters independent of any text ( a cognitive function) – such law dictionaries are usually monolingual. Bilingual law dictionaries may serve several functions. First, they may have entry words in one language and definitions in another language – these dictionaries give help to understand legal texts, usually written in a foreign language, and to acquire knowledge, usually about a foreign legal system. Second, bilingual law dictionaries with entry words in one language and equivalents in another language provide help to translate legal texts, into or from a foreign language, and sometimes also to produce legal texts, usually in a foreign language.

Unlike a law dictionary, which arranges and defines legal words and phrases individually and in alphabetical order, a legal terminology textbook arranges and defines legal words and phrases in groups and by topic. As a result, a student or other person interested in understanding an array of related legal words and phrases may prefer to use a legal terminology textbook instead.

With the advance of technology, the legal dictionary has made its way onto the internet and smart phones. Law students can now look up the meaning of legal terms in a split second.

See also

• Black's Law Dictionary
• Bouvier's Law Dictionary
• Legal terminology textbook

References

• Sandro Nielsen: The Bilingual LSP Dictionary. Principles and Practice for Legal Language. Gunter Narr Verlag 1994.
• Sandro Nielsen:"The Effect of Lexicographical Information Costs on Dictionary Making and Use". In: Lexikos 18/2008, 170-189.

External links

• Duhaime's Legal Dictionary – Probably the world's best online legal dictionary. Terms organized by topic such as Criminal and Civil Law.
• LawyerIntl.com Legal Dictionary – Compilation of Law Dictionaries including Bouvier's Legal Dictionary 6th Edition
• The 'Lectric Law Library – the gateway to thousands of pages of free legal information and free legal forms.
• Some links to Legal Dictionaries
• WEX: Definitions, An American law glossary, from Cornell
• Everybody's Legal Glossary, Nolo
• Law.com legal dictionary
• Merriam Webster Law Dictionary at Findlaw.
• JP Boyd's BC Family Law Resource for family law and divorce law definitions.
• Dean's Law Dictionary – A digital and professional law dictionary for lawyers and paralegals with over 171,272 entries, 241,583 words or phrases defined and 317,118 case cites.