Christopher Williams, Tradition and change in legal
English: Verbal constructions in prescriptive texts. Bern: Peter
Lang, 2005. pp. 216. $46.95.
Christopher Williams analyzes the use of constructions such as modals
and semi-modals such as shall and may and the use of the
present simple as these constructions appear in English prescriptive legal
texts. Using a large corpus of texts from a variety of English-speaking
countries and international organizations, Williams focuses primarily on
legislative texts, which are often characterized as including archaic or
rarely used words and foreign words, the repetition of particular words
and phrases, the use of long, complex sentences, and the passive voice (p.
31). Williams's analysis, thoughtfully designed and carried out, is
an informative examination of how and why legal language has resisted
change. The book also provides an engaging look at the Plain Language
Movement and the impact this movement has had on legal texts.