论法律英语中古体词存在的必然性 ——从伽达默尔的哲学解释学角度

论文摘要

古体词的频繁使用是传统法律英语的一大特色。近年来随着简明英语运动的兴起和发展,古体词的地位也遭到了很多人的质疑,甚至有倡议提出应当清除法律英语中的所有古体词并以大众性语言取而代之。尽管如此,古体词却并未因此被完全弃用,相反其在各类法律英语的使用场合仍然屡有所见。目前,国内外有关法律英语中古体词的研究,大部分均非专门针对古体词而提出而是在探讨法律英语时略有提及或偶有评述,也有少部分进行了专题性质的探讨。因为古体词备受争议的性质,其研究也可大致分为支持和反对两派。遗憾的是,所有这些研究几乎都是浅尝辄止且仅仅停留在表面。在前人的研究基础之上,本文拟通过借助德国哲学家伽达默尔的哲学解释学理论来论证法律英语中古体词存在的必然性。全文首先对国内外有关古体词及其在法律英语中运用的研究进行了文献综述。同时介绍了伽达默尔这一伟大的哲学家及其构建的哲学解释学,包括其著名理论和哲学解释学这一分支学科的起源、创立及其在中国的新发展和实际运用。文章接着梳理并概括了法律英语演变的四大历史阶段及三大主要词源渠道并着力分析了目前法律英语中古体词的运用现状及深远意义。最后在以上探讨基础之上,通过伽达默尔对“理性”的重新定义,否定了科学理性对语言的掌控,并提出人类理性是法律英语中古体词必然得以继承和沿用的重要原因。同时,引入伽达默尔的另一著名理论即“前见”理论及其对与之相关的理解的历史性的阐述。指出古体词作为预制性语言,其使用可以减少前见带来的不同理解并避免歧义的产生,结合法律文本对精确性和达成统一理解的要求,得出古体词在法律英语中的不可或缺性这一结论。通过上述两方面的论证,最终证明了古体词在法律英语中存在的必然性。总的说来,本文旨在探究法律英语中古体词的去留问题,同时援用哲学解释学的经典理论对其深层次原因进行分析,希望借此能对以后的相关研究起到抛砖引玉的作用。

论文目录

• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• 摘要
• Contents
• CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
• 1.1 Rationale for the study
• 1.2 Purpose and significance
• 1.3 Layout of the thesis
• CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
• 2.1 Previous studies of archaic words and those used in legal English
• 2.1.1 Studies in abroad
• 2.1.2 Domestic studies
• 2.2 Gadamer and philosophical hermeneutics
• 2.2.1 Gadamer and his theories
• 2.2.2 Philosophical hermeneutics
• 2.2.3 Research and applications of philosophical hermeneutics in China
• 2.3 Summary
• CHAPTER THREE HISTORY OF LEGAL ENGLISH AND ARCHAIC WORDS IN LEGAL ENGLISH
• 3.1 Legal language and legal English
• 3.2 History of legal English
• 3.2.1 Anglo-Saxon beginnings
• 3.2.2 The Norman Conquest
• 3.2.3 Diminishing need for French
• 3.2.4 Plain English Movement
• 3.3 Archaic words
• 3.3.1 Definition and brief introduction of archaic words
• 3.3.2 Archaic words in legal English and their significance
• 3.3.2.1 Archaic words in legal English
• 3.3.2.2 Outstanding features of archaic words and their significance
• 3.4 Origins or sources of legal English vocabulary
• 3.4.1 Origins from Latin words
• 3.4.2 Origins from French words
• 3.4.3 Origins from archaic words （archaisms）
• CHAPTER FOUR INEVITABILITY OF ARCHAIC WORDS IN LEGAL
• 4.1 Feasibility of applying Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics to the analysis of legal text and legal English
• 4.1.1 Theoretical feasibility
• 4.1.2 Practical feasibility
• 4.2 Reason redefined by Gadamer and the inheritance of archaic words
• 4.2.1 Reason and power of control
• 4.2.1.1 The scientific reason and its permeation in our life
• 4.2.1.2 Scientific guidance for language using and Plain Language Movement for legal English
• 4.2.2 Scientific reason versus human reason
• 4.2.2.1 Science and scientific reason having their limitation for an all-round application
• 4.2.2.2 Human reason: value of human beings’existence and truth of life
• 4.2.3 Human reason and the development of legal English: major cause for inevitable existence of archaic words in legal English
• 4.3 The theory of prejudice and the indispensability of archaic words
• 4.3.1 The historicity of understanding and the prejudice
• 4.3.2 Accuracy requirement of legal text and the indispensable usage of archaic words
• CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION
• 5.1 Summary of the thesis
• 5.2 Limitations and suggestions for future researches
• Bibliography