Legal Language in Nineteenth-Century America

Nan Goodman & Simon Stern (eds.), The Ashgate Research Companion to Law and Humanities in Nineteenth-Century America (2015)

American University, WCL Research Paper No. 2014-51

29 Pages Posted: 26 Dec 2014

See all articles by Robert L. Tsai

Robert L. Tsai

Boston University - School of Law

Date Written: December 24, 2014

Abstract

This contribution explores the development of legal language in nineteenth-century America as a species of political discourse. In particular, I sketch the broad, competing trends in legal language. On the one hand, legal rhetoric became more popular and fragmented, as the sources of law multiplied. On the other hand, the law also became increasingly sophisticated and specialized with the rise of institutions. These features on the surface of legal rhetoric hinted at deeper changes in the imperatives of political development and efforts at cultural resistance.

Keywords: legal language, humanities, constitutional law, political discourse, slavery, abolition, emancipation, lincoln, law and literature, democratic culture, revolution, walt whitman, uncle tom's cabin, seneca falls, mark twain, civil war, five civilized tribes, okmulgee constitution, confederacy

Suggested Citation

Tsai, Robert L., Legal Language in Nineteenth-Century America (December 24, 2014). Nan Goodman & Simon Stern (eds.), The Ashgate Research Companion to Law and Humanities in Nineteenth-Century America (2015), American University, WCL Research Paper No. 2014-51, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2542661

Robert L. Tsai (Contact Author)

Boston University - School of Law ( email )

765 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
United States

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