What is the importance of language in legal education?

Words are the fundamental tools of law. The use of language is crucial in legal studies because it affects how judges interpret cases and how effectively attorneys can communicate their clients' demands. They say that learning the law is like learning a new language, although it's a little more difficult. The language to be utilised as the language of instruction presents a significant difficulty at a time when legal education is rising to prominence as a fruitful and forward-thinking field of study since it is available to any student or researcher choosing to pursue this discipline. In Indian law schools, academic knowledge is prioritised over practical legal training in the curriculum. Consequently, these lack an introduction to legal terminology.For this reason, online education platforms provide Online legal certification courses which give the students the knowledge of Legal language and teach them the practical application of that in the legal field.

What is Legal Language?

Legal language is a standardized language based on logical rules and differs from our ordinary natural language by vocabulary, morphology (training), semantics, syntax, and other characteristics. It aims to achieve consistency and validity while maintaining the characteristics of a common language, such as intuitive execution, completeness, and clarity. Legal language is the language used by people connected with the legal profession. It is the language used by lawyers, jurists, and legislators in their professional capacity. Formal communication between judge and jury, judge and attorney, and client and attorney also includes the use of legal language.

Importance of Legal Language -

Legal language is very different from common languages. Words are one of the most important instruments of law. The language has great vitality in the study of law. Cases revolve around the meaning judges give to words, and lawyers must use the right words to fairly represent their clients in court. Legal language is used to write law-related documents such as contracts, licenses, indictments or subpoenas, pleadings, judgments, Acts of Parliament, case reports and legal correspondence, etc.

It has great significance in the country as its most important provisions are written in these languages. Therefore, it is important when applied to drafting legal texts and drafting written documents. It is not only lawyers or legislators who use this language. We also encounter this unmistakable language in our daily lives. When one communicates with another through some legal documents such as contracts, wills, statutes, etc., the language used in them is the legal language. Therefore it is very important to have a general understanding of the legal language. It is also important because it is that formalized language used in the courts. In the courts, one cannot simply declare in one's mother tongue or other common languages.

Legal language is also important because it has become a global phenomenon, especially for legal professionals. Competence in legal and terminological terms is very essential in the lawyer profession, regardless of whether you are an English-speaking citizen or not, regardless of whether you belong to a certain region or country, due to the multiplication of internationalization and globalization.

Need for teaching Legal Language in Law Schools -

Indian law school curriculum is rigid and compartmentalized and does not promote practical knowledge. Law faculties are not yet familiar with the teaching of legal language. It is high time that legal language should teach in Indian law schools. It has its meaning, but it is more important for a law student to be familiar with the legal language. The first thing to do in Indian law schools is to teach students the subject of legal language. The need for teaching legal language can be understood in the following points:

Understanding Legal Documents: The legal profession focuses intensely on words that form language in the form of judgments and statutes. Teaching the legal language in law schools will make it easier for students to better understand these law-related documents. It is also necessary for a student to participate in controversial competitions and other competitions. It helps them understand the job and bring accuracy to their work.

Grasping the essence of words: The basic words we use in everyday life also have different contexts and interpretations in the field of law. Words such as consideration differ in meaning between our daily life and the world of law. Words also change meaning when we refer to other laws. Malice has a different meaning in criminal law while it has a different meaning when it comes to defamation.

Crucial for Legal Drafting Skills: A well-written document equates to a strong argument and can make or break a case. A legal document, be it a contract, an affidavit, or a written declaration, serves both to inform and involve the client and the court in legal matters. The language used in these documents is the legal language, which is syntactically more complex and lexically denser than speech. It is also vital in legal drafting skills.

Proficiency in Legal Language is a typical element of a career in law: Mastery of the language is also said to be the key to the legal profession. Skillful use of legal language is important to the lawyer. Lawyers use this legal language on various occasions, for example when discussing the meaning of the law, advising their clients, defending themselves in court, or questioning witnesses. Legal rights and obligations are created, modified, and terminated through statutory documents such as contracts or wills. The use of legal terms includes the language of judges and lawyers, who rely on this language to communicate effectively and efficiently.

Conclusion - The time has come to review the school of law curriculum, which focuses more on the practical multidisciplinary aspects of the field rather than succumbing to the traditional approach. And legal language teaching should also be improved in Indian law schools so that students can benefit from it in the long term. And other than this law students have a great opportunity to attend Online law certification courses which teach students about legal education and how the conversation is done in the courts. Understanding the need and importance of legal language is very vital in the field of law and Online legal courses help law students to understand the use of legal language in the field of law.