Considerations regarding law as an instrument of communication

• Main Author: Claudiu Ramon BUTCULESCU
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bucharest University of Economic Studies 2014-12-01
• Series: Juridical Tribune
• Subjects: communication; law; legal linguistics; legal semiotics
• Online Access: http://www.tribunajuridica.eu/arhiva/An4v2/3%20Butculescu.pdf

This paper tackles the possibility of envisioning law as an instrument of communication, using systemic and informational models. The effects of legal communication have a profound influence on the evolution of the system of law and also on national legal cultures. The means through which law is communicated, as well as the analysis of the information that is transmitted, along with the legal noise generated by the poor understanding of legal norms, are briefly discussed in the paper. In this direction, legal linguistics are analyzed, especially the phrasing of legal norms, with regard to syntax, morphology, phonetics and semantics, as well as their influence on the Romanian legal system. Beside legal linguistics, the analysis of legal semiotics within the communication of law is also discussed, as the system of law is considered an abstract and analytical normative system, which uses texts and codes. Careful analysis of legal communication, using the concepts of legal linguistics and legal semiotics could help alleviate the effects of the faulty communication of law and enhance the understanding of legal norms by the general public.