37.1151, Books: The English Language on Trial: Hawkins (2026)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-37-1151. Fri Mar 20 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.1151, Books: The English Language on Trial: Hawkins (2026)

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Date: 18-Mar-2026
From: Ellena Moriarty [rfsupport at cambridge.org]
Subject: The English Language on Trial: Hawkins (2026)


Title: The English Language on Trial
Subtitle: Witnessing Disputed Meanings in American Courts
Series Title: Studies in English Language
Publication Year: 2026

Publisher: Cambridge University Press
           http://www.cambridge.org/linguistics
Book URL:
https://www.cambridge.org/ch/universitypress/subjects/languages-linguistics/semantics-and-pragmatics/english-language-trial-witnessing-disputed-meanings-american-courts?format=HB&isbn=9781009682787

Author(s): John A. Hawkins

Hardback ISBN:  9781009682787 Pages:  286 Price: U.K. £ 105.00
Hardback ISBN:  9781009682787 Pages:  286 Price: Europe EURO 122.55
Hardback ISBN:  9781009682787 Pages:  286 Price: U.S. $ 140.00

Abstract:

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.

Written In: English (eng)



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