The English language on trial : witnessing disputed meanings in American courts / John A Hawkins.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hawkins, John A., Author.

Series:

345.7302523014 23

Studies in english language.

Studies in english language

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Forensic linguistics--United States.

Forensic linguistics.

Evidence, Expert--United States.

Evidence, Expert.

Statutes--Interpretation and construction--United States.

Statutes.

Trademarks--United States.

Trademarks.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxiv, 261 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2026.

Summary:

Many lawsuits arise over disagreements about language and about the meanings of everyday words, phrases, and sentences. This book draws on over fifty cases involving disputed meanings in the American legal system where the author served as an expert witness or consultant, to explore the interaction between language and law. Stepping back from the legal specifics and their outcomes, it analyzes the disputes from the perspective of the language sciences, especially semantics and pragmatics, and language comprehension. It seeks to understand why, and in what areas of English grammar, lexis, and usage, they have arisen among speakers who do not normally miscommunicate and disagree like this. The cases involve contracts, patents, advertising, trademarks, libel, and defamation, and descriptive insights and methods from the language sciences are applied to each case to make explicit the meanings that speakers would normally assign to English.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Introduction: Creating meanings in everyday language use

Chapter 2 Disputes over individual words

Chapter 3 Disputes over word combinations

Chapter 4 Disputes over whole clauses

Chapter 5 Disputes over inferences

Chapter 6 Disputes over reference and unique identification

Chapter 7 Disputes over spelling and punctuation

Chapter 8 Conclusions

Further readings in language and law

Appendix: Cases discussed in this book.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 16 Mar 2026).

ISBN:

1-009-68277-6

1-009-68280-6

1-009-68279-2