Challenges in teaching legal english to romanian students

• Author: Madalina Georgiana Matei
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 147-154

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşo v

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 11 (60) No. 2 - 2018

CHALLENGES IN TEACHING LEGAL ENGLISH

TO ROMANIAN STUDENTS

Mădălina Georgiana MATEI1

Abstract: The development of vocabulary, reading, writing, speaking and

listening skills in legal English teaching requires the adaptation of the

teaching methods in such a way as to respond to the students’ present and

future needs. In teaching legal language one has to deal with its special

features as well as with the particular syntax of legal English which is

characterized by long and complex sentences and syntactic discontinuities.

Moreover, due to the fact that legal English is used in real professional

settings, its pragmatic dimension is essential. This article focuses on the

manner in which the special features of legal language could be taught to

Romanian Law School students.

Key words: legal language, context, student needs, form and function.

1. Introduction

Being able to use English in a proficient manner has undoubtedl y become an essential

asset in Romanian institutional settings over the last few years. But general English is

just not enough when it comes to multinational corporations, fiercely competitive law

firms, travel agencies, manufacturing or industrial companies in fields such as aerospace

and automotive engineering. Being proficient in the respect ive variety of t echnical

English is an advantage that can ensure the potential employee’s promotion chances,

income and professional prestige in general.

Luckily, students are aware of the fact that they have to start creating their

professional advantages as early as the first year of study at the university and that is a

very strong motivation for facing the challenges of learning specialized English

vocabulary and structures. Irrespective of the variant of English for Specific Purposes

(henceforth E SP), as soon as learners start to develop their English language skills, they

realize that the role of context, the performative nature of language, the

communicational goals that must be attained, cannot possibly be overlooked. Hence,

they realize that the pragmatic dimension of language use is equally important for them

to master. This is especially important in the study of legal language, a register which

has a distinctively performative character.

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, m.matei@unitbv.ro