Semester I

Syllabus for General English and Legal Language

Part I - General
Module I : Introduction . Nature of language
Importance of English language in law
Skills of reading and interpreting a variety of text on law
Characteristic feature of legal English
Basic grammatical patterns and vocabulary items
Module II Background of law and language
Scope of language for law
Problems of legal language
Special problems of legal language in India
Importance of command on language in legal profession

Part II- General English

Module III Comprehension- skill of reading and understanding English language.
Correct usage of words, phrases and idioms,

Module IV Developing writing skills – knowledge of determiners(a, an, the)

Correct usage of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs
Active, passive voice, change of voice
Order of verbs, question tags, short answers, use of tenses
Homophones, one word substitution
Common errors
Précis writing, letter writing, report writing, paragraph writing

Module V Communication- Types of Communication, Barriers of Communication, Principles of

Communication, Body language, Communication competence-phonetics,
pronunciation, intonation, accent, rhythm, articulation, modulation & pitch, body
language, tone, choice of words
Characteristics of competent communicators
Listening skills, critical listening

Module VI Softskills – Self skills, People skills, Work ethics, emotional intelligence

Part III- LegalLanguage

Module VII Legal maxims :

Meaning of maxims (list of maxims attached)
Usage of maxims in sentences the clarity of meaning.

Module VIII Legal terms and phrases:

Meaning of legal terms and phrases to bring out the clarity.
Abbreviations related to law
Part IV- Meanings and usages

Module IX A brief idea about, drafting

Meaning and problems of drafting
 Suggestion for effective drafting
Conveyancing- meaning, purpose, ingredients
Module X General application writing
Writing to state authorities-The President, The Prime Minister The Chief minister,
Secretaries, Chairmen, Pollution Control Board, Human Rights Commission etc.

Module XI Essay writing

Group discussion and presentation.
Extensive reading practice of legal stories and biographies.

Exercises

Module XII Watching legal movies, plays and discussion thereafter.

Module XIII Delivering speech or reading passages, audio-visual recording of the same, discussion
Role plays, audio-visual recording and discussion.
Handling and control of audio-visual recording equipment

RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
 General English:
o High School English Grammar and Composition – by Wren and Martin
o Nesfield’s Grammar, Composition and Usage –by N.K. Agrawal & F.T. Wood
o EnglishGrammar –by F.T.Wood
o An Intensive Course in English- by C.D. Siddhu
o Living English Structure – by w. Stannard allen
o Intermediate Grammar- Usage and Composition –by M.L.Tikkoo & Subramanian
o Legislative Drafting –by G.C. Thronton
o Plain Language for Lawyers- by Michele M. Asprey
o Due Process of Law- by lord Denning
 Legal Language:
o Outline for Legal Language- by Dr. Anirudh Prasad
o Legal Language-by Dr. Amit Sen
o Legal Reasoning & Legal Writing – by Richard K. Newman
o Just Writing – by Walters Klumar
o Legal Language and General English – by Dr. S.C. Tripathi
o English for Law – by Yadugiri & Geetha Bhasker
*
Sno Maxims Sno Maxims
1 A verbis legis non est recendendum 41 Ex justa causa
2 Abundans cautela non nocet 42 Ex metu carceris
3 Accessorium non trahit principale 43 Ex nihilo nihil fild
4 Acta exterior indicant interior secreta 44 Ex pacto illicit non oritur ratio
5 Actus dei ressisi nocent 45 Executio juris non habet injuriam
6 Actus legis nemini facit injuriam 46 Expedit reipubliae ne sua requis male utatur
7 Aedificatum solo, solo credit 47 Extra ordinem
8 Beneficium invite non datur 48 Facta sunt potentoira verbis
9 Bona fides exigit ut quod convenient 49 Ferae naturae
fiat
10 Boni judicis est judicium sine dilation 50 Fiat Justicia, ruat aelum
mandare executioni
11 Conscius fraudis 51 Furiosi nulla volantas cst
12 Contra bono mores 52 Gramatica false non vitiate chartam
13 Contra omnes mortales 53 Grassum
14 Contributio lucre et damni 54 Haeredes nati et facti
15 Conventio privatorum non posttest 55 Haereditas
publico juri derogare
16 Conviciandi animo 56 Hoc ordine
17 Coram non judice 57 Hoc titulo
18 Correi credendi 58 Honeste vivere
19 Crimen falsi 59 In dubio
20 Cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad 60 In lecto
caelum
21 Conscientia leis nun quam contraenit 61 Injuria non excusat injurium
22 Cullibet in sua arte perito est 62 Injuria non praesumitur
credendum
23 Culpa laea dolo aequiparatur 63 Injuria non excusat injuriam
24 Cumulatio criminum 64 Judex est lex loquens
25 Damnosa aut lucrosa 65 Judices posteria sunt is lee fortiora
26 Dolus 66 Judicium est quasi jurisdictum
27 Dominium 67 Jus non patitur idem bis solvatur
28 Dominus omnium honorum 68 Le Salut du people est la supreme
29 Donatio mortis causa 69 Lex est summa ratio
30 Dubii juris 70 Lex dialationes exhorret
31 Dum se bene gesserit 71 Malus usus est abolendus
32 Dura Lex Sed Lex 72 Media ssententia
33 E contra 73 Mens rea
34 Ejusdem negotii 74 Medica differentia
35 Error qui non resistitur approbatur 75 Modus habilis
36 Ex debito justitiae 76 Modus vacandi
37 Ex debito naturali 77 Modus terendi
38 Ex diverso 78 Modus Vivendi
39 Ex do non oritur acitio 79 Mora ommia solvit
40 Ex jure representationis 80 Nativi
Sno Maxims Sno Maxims
81 Natura negotii 121 Ratio legis est anim legis
82 Necessitas vincit legem 122 Ratio scientiae
83 Nemo bis punitur vexatur proeodem 123 Ratione boborum
delicto
84 Nemo duobus utatur officiis 124 Regalia
85 No est haeres viventis 125 Relegatio
86 Nemo est supra legs 126 Res aliena
87 Nemo moriturus prae sumitur mentire 127 Res ipsa loquitur
88 Nexus 128 Res judicata
89 Nil ligatum 129 Res sua
90 Nomine damni 130 Respondent superior
91 Non bis idem 131 Reus
92 Noxa sequitur caput 132 Rex non potest peccare
93 Nulli differimum justiniam 133 Rex est lax loquery
94 Ob publicam utilitatem 134 Salus populi suprema lex
95 Obedentia est legis essential 135 Salus republicae est suprema lex
96 Obligatio literarum 136 Socii mei socius meus socious non est
97 Obreptione 137 Testes pondeerantur, non numerantur
98 Odio et amore judex careat 138 Testis de visu praeponderataliis
99 Omne testamentum morte 139 Testis nemo in sua causa casse potest
consummatum est
100 Onus probandi 140 Ut lite pendent nihil innovetur
101 Optima fide 141 Uxor sequitur domicilium viri
102 Ore tenus 142 Verbia legis non recedendum est
103 Pendent elite nihil innovetur 143 Veritas nihil vertur nisi abscondi
104 Per vim legis 144 Veritas nimium alteroando amittitut
105 Pessima fides 145 Via trita est tutissima
106 Pigaus 146 Vis legibus est incimica
107 Pleno jure 147 Vicarius non habet vacarium
108 Plenum dominio 148 Vitium clerici nocere non debet
109 Pluris petition 149 Voluntas facit quod is testament scriptum
valeat
110 Poena ordinaria 150 Vox emissa volet, litera scripta manet
111 Poena, ex delicto
112 Qui approbat non reprobate
113 Qui facit per aliem, facit per se
114 Qui parcit nocentibus, innocents punit
115 Qui tacet, consentire videtur
116 Qui jure suo utitur neminem laedit
117 Quiquod acquiritur sero, acquiritur
dominio
118 Quicquid est contra norman recites
injuria
119 Quicquid excess acctum est, lee,
prohibetur
120 Ratio decidendi