Main Components of Legal Language: (General Theoretic Overview)

The article is dedicated to main components of legal language. The subject matter of the research is legal language. The main components of legal language are legal lexis and phraseology, legal grammar (morphology and syntax), and legal stylistics. Legal lexis includes a number of components, the most important of which is legal terminology. The latter consists of legal terms, which are united into legal terminological systems of different levels. The basic legal terms have been created via terminologisation of words from natural language. Legal definitions are under consideration, legal and linguistic criteria of their classification are proposed. Legal grammar as a component of legal language include legal morphology and legal syntax. There is crucial difference in legal stylistics consideration with regard to either legal or linguistic approach. While the linguistic approach deals with styles of language, the legal approach covers peculiarities of different functional directions of legal language, namely lawmaking, lawinterpretation, lawapplication, law realization and legal research.