Prof. Dr. Holger Kuße

 

Russian language and law in an intercultural perspective

1. Behavior and evaluation

2. Law and justice3. Legal Discourse3.1. Legal Linguistics3.2. Legal Linguistics as cultural linguistics4. ‘Responsibility’ in law and economic discourse

1. Behaviour and evaluation

structure of behaviour – content of evaluation

x as object – x as object of evaluation

(‚x is/is not’) (‚x is good/bad’)

behavior evaluation(objects) (content)

institutional norms cultural values and norms(law) (national/ethnical culture:

justice and moral) 

2. Law and justice

Law

in a technical sense in a moral sense as interpretation and argumentation

Law in a technical sense: 

Legal discourse is designative in mode and incitive in use (Charles Morris 1946)

If any one ensnare another, putting a ban upon him, but he can not prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death. (1) If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death. (6) If any one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to death. (22) (Code of Hammurabi, ca. 1790 BC )

If a man kills a man: then a brother avenges a brother, or a son avenges a father, or a cousin, or a nephew; if no one will take revenge, then 80 grivnas for the murdered; if he be a knyaz’s man or knyaz’s official; but if he be a rusin, or a grid’ (a lower-ranking druzhinnik), or a merchant, or a boyar’s official, or a mechnik (swordsman), or an exile, or a slovenin (Novgorodian), then 40 grivnas for the murdered. (1) (Code of Kievan Law; 11-13.century)

„Always does the white man speak true. (...) But the white man speaks true in different ways.  Today he speaks true one way, tomorrow he speaks true another way, and there is no understanding him nor his way“

(Jack London, The white man’s way)

„St. Francis offered the wolf a fair exchange: he the wolf would give up his evil ways and the inhabitants of Gubbio would stop hunting him and would supply him with food. (...) The contract was concluded and both parties observed it until the death of the wolf.

No such texts are to be found either in Russian folklore or in the medieval literary tradition of early Russia.“

(Yuri Lotman, Universe of the mind)

He (the public prosecutor) was very stupid by nature, but, besides this, he had had the misfortune of finishing school with a gold medal and of receiving a reward for his essay on "Servitude" when studying Roman Law at the University, and was therefore self-confident and self-satisfied in the highest degree (his success with the ladies also conducing to this) and his stupidity had become extraordinary.(...)“

(Leo Tolstoy, Resurrection)

„Ippolit Kirillovitch (...) regarded this speech as his chef-d'oeuvre, the chef-d'oeuvre of his whole life, as his swan-song. (...) He had put his whole heart and all the brain he had into that speech. And poor Ippolit Kirillovitch unexpectedly revealed that at least some feeling for the public welfare and "the eternal question" lay concealed in him“

(Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov) 

3. Legal Discourse

 

discourse

  in a narrow sense: in a wide sense:

practice of conversation practice of making sense of signs

roles of conversation roles of making sense of signs

practice of speakers practice/s of society/societies

 

legal linguistics

legal linguistics

written law legal practice(communication behavior)

texts lexic syntax pragmatic acts participants situations

philology historical linguistics semantics pragmalinguistics

3.1. Legal Linguistics

The language of law reflects the overlapping, competing and co-existing nature of legal discourse; its form both the product of its linguistic history and a response to the fluidity of legal culture.

(Mattila 2006)

3.1.1. Philology and the history of language

3.1.2. Legal terminology and the problems of semantic

If any one buy from the son or the slave of another man, without witnesses or a contract, silver or gold, a male or female slave, an ox or a sheep, an ass or anything, or if he take it in charge, he is considered a thief and shall be put to death. (8)(Code of Hammurabi, ca. 1790 BC )

If there be a murder and robbery with no reason, then people shall not pay for the murderer, but give him up with his wife and children, and his property will be plundered. (5)(Code of Kievan Law; 11-13.century) 

legal linguistics

systemic comparative interactional 

investigates the general structures and features of legal discourse in one natural language

compares features of legal discourse in different natural languages

investigates the interaction between legal and other discourses

4. ‘Responsibility’ in law and economic discourse

(1) Merck http://www.merck.de/en/company/mission_statement_values_strategy/values.html  Merck Values - the Foundation of Our SuccessResponsibility determines our entrepreneurial actions.Responsibility characterizes our behavior towards customers, employees, investors and service providers.Responsibility means treating our natural resources with care and vigilantly protecting our environment.Responsibility determines our business decisions, which we jointly endorse.Responsibility means setting a good example.Responsibility leads to recognition and acceptance of our business activities.

(2) McDonald’s(2.1.) http://www.mcdonalds.com/ Corporate responsibility is a priority at McDonald’s. It is a deep-seated tradition dating back to our founder, Ray Kroc, and a key element in our business strategy today. We know that our continuing success depends on our customers’ trust—in the quality and safety of our food, in our business practices, and in our commitment to making a difference on issues they care about.

(2.2.) www.mcdonalds.ru Для компании «Макдоналдс» в России корпоративная социальная ответственность всегда была неотъемлемой частью философии бизнеса.

(3.) IKEA (3.1.) http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/our_responsibility/index.html 

Our responsibilityLow prices are the cornerstone of the IKEA vision and our business idea - but not at any price.  

 

(3.2.) http://www.ikea.com/ms/ru_RU/about_ikea_new/about/index.html

Наша ответственностьНизкие цены – краеугольный камень бизнес-идеи ИКЕА. Однако мы добиваемся их не любой ценой.  (3.3.) http://www.ikea.com/ms/cs_CZ/about_ikea_new/about/index.html 

Naše odpovědnostNízké ceny jsou základním pilířem vize IKEA a naší obchodní myšlenky – nikoli však za každou cenu.

(4.) Basic Law (Germany) (4.1.) Preamble Im Bewusstsein seiner Verantwortung vor Gott und den Menschen, von dem Willen beseelt, als gleichberechtigtes Glied in einem vereinten Europa dem Frieden der Welt zu

dienen, hat sich das Deutsche Volk kraft seiner

verfassungsgebenden Gewalt dieses Grundgesetz gegeben. Conscious of their responsibility before God and

man, Inspired by the determination to promote world peace as an equal partner in a united Europe, the German people, in the exercise of their constituent power, have adopted this Basic Law.

(4.2.) Article 65 Der Bundeskanzler bestimmt die Richtlinien der Politik und trägt dafür die Verantwortung. The Federal Chancellor shall determine and be responsible for the general guidelines of policy.

(4.3.) Article 46 [Immunities of Members] Ein Abgeordneter darf zu keiner Zeit wegen seinerAbstimmung oder wegen einer Äußerung, die er im Bundestage oder in einem seiner

Ausschüsse getan hat, gerichtlich oder dienstlich verfolgt oder sonst außerhalb des Bundestages zur Verantwortung gezogen werden. At no time may a Member be subjected to court proceedings or disciplinary action or otherwise

called to account outside the Bundestag for a vote cast or for any speech or debate in the Bundestag or in any of its committees.

(4.4.) Article 20 a

[Protection of the natural foundations of life and animals]

Der Staat schützt auch inVerantwortung für die künftigen Generationen die natürlichen Lebensgrundlagen und die Tiere im Rahmen der verfassungsmäßigen Ordnung durch die Gesetzgebung und nach Maßgabe von Gesetz und

Recht durch die vollziehende Gewalt und die Rechtsprechung Mindful also of its responsibility toward future generations, the state shall protect the natural foundations of life and animals by legislation and, in accordance with law and justice, by executive and judicial action, all within the framework of the constitutional order.

(5.) The Constitution of the Russian Federation (5.1.) We, the multinational people of the Russian Federation, united by a common fate on our land, establishing human rights and freedoms, civic peace and accord, preserving the historically established state unity, proceeding from the universally recognized principles of equality and self-determination of peoples, revering the memory of ancestors who have conveyed to us the love for the Fatherland, belief in the good and justice, reviving the sovereign statehood of Russia and asserting the firmness of its democratic basic, striving to ensure the well-being and prosperity of Russia, proceeding from the responsibility for our Fatherland before the present and future generations (исходя из ответственности за свою Родину перед нынешним и будущими поколениями), recognizing ourselves as part of the world community, adopt the CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

(5.2.) First Section. Main Provisions: Chapter 2: Rights and Freedoms of Man and Citizen: Article 41  3. Сокрытие должностными лицами фактов и обстоятельств, создающих угрозу для жизни и здоровья людей, влечет за собой ответственность в соответствии с федеральным законом.  3. The concealment by officials of the facts and circumstances posing a threat to the life and health of people shall entail responsibility according to the federal law.

(5.3.) Article 54

2. Никто не может нести ответственность за деяние, которое в момент его совершения не признавалось правонарушением. Если после совершения право нарушения ответственность за него устранена или смягчена, применяется новый закон.

2. No one may bear responsibility for the action which was not regarded as a crime when it was committed. If after violating law the responsibility for that is eliminated or mitigated, a new law shall be applied.

(5.4.) Chapter 7: Judicial Power: Article 122  2. Судья не может быть привлечен к уголовной ответственности иначе как в порядке, определяемом федеральным законом.  2. A judge may not face criminal responsibility otherwise than according to the rules fixed by the federal law.

(6.) ответственность: responsibilityliability

 ответственный за: to be (legally) liable for

somethingответственный редактор: editor-in-chiefобщество с ограниченной ответственностью: limited company/corporation