Decoding Legal Language: MIT Researchers Explore Clarity in Law
MIT study explains why laws are written in an incomprehensible style 🔗
Legal documents are often difficult to understand, a problem that MIT researchers have explored in depth. They argue that the complex language of legalese serves a purpose similar to "magic spells," signaling authority through convoluted structures like center-embedding. Their studies show that even non-lawyers instinctively adopt this complex language when writing laws, despite preferring simpler language for other types of writing. The researchers propose that this tendency may stem from an ingrained expectation about how laws should be written. They are investigating the historical origins of this legal language style, hoping their findings will encourage lawmakers to adopt clearer, more accessible language.
Why is legal language so difficult to understand?
Legal language often features complex structures like center-embedding, which makes it harder to comprehend. This style is thought to convey authority, similar to how magic spells are written.
What did the MIT study find about non-lawyers writing laws?
The study revealed that even non-lawyers tend to use complex legal language when writing laws, indicating an implicit understanding of how laws should sound, despite preferring plain English for other types of writing.
What is the goal of the researchers' ongoing work?
The researchers aim to uncover the origins of legalese and advocate for clearer legal writing, hoping to motivate lawmakers to adopt more comprehensible language in legal documents.