A Handbook on Legal Languages and the Quest for Linguistic Equality in South Africa and beyond

Zakeera  Docrat; Russell H. Kaschula; Monwabisi K. Ralarala; Justice Belinda Hartle

A Handbook on Legal Languages and the Quest for Linguistic Equality in South Africa and beyond

Authors

Dr Zakeera Docrat

University of the Western Cape

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1444-9768

Prof Russell H. Kaschula

University of the Western Cape

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5481-6748

Prof Monwabisi K. Ralarala

University of the Western Cape

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1077-6131

Honourable Mrs Justice Belinda Hartle

Bhisho High Court

Keywords:

Linguistics, Legal Language, Linguistic Equality

Synopsis

A handbook on Legal Languages and the quest for linguistic equality in South Africa and beyond is an interdisciplinary publication located in the discipline of forensic linguistics/ language and law. This handbook includes varying comparative African and global case studies on the use of language(s) in courtroom discourse and higher education institutions: Kenya; Morocco; Nigeria; Australia; Belgium Canada and India. These African and global case studies form the backdrop for the critique of the monolingual English language of record policy for South African courts, the core of this handbook, discussed in relation to case law and the beleaguered legal interpretation profession. This handbook argues that linguistic transformation and decolonisation of South Africa’s legal and higher education systems needs to be undertaken where legal practitioners are linguistically equipped to litigate in a bilingual/ multilingual courtroom that enables access to justice for the majority of African language speaking litigants, enforcing their constitutional language rights.

Chapters

Foreword

Justice Belinda Hartle
Preface

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
1. Introduction
Discussion Map, Research Question and Objectives

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
2. The Language of Proceedings in Courts on the African Continent
Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
3. Insights from International Case Studies on Language and Law
Australia, Belgium, Canada and India

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
4. The Monolingual Language of Record In South African Courts
The Complications of Court Interpretation and the Introduction of Administrative Law

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
5. The Language Question in Legislative and Policy Instruments
A Forensic Linguistics Approach to Language Planning and Legislative Drafting

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
6.1 South Africa’s Constitutional Language Rights and Provisions
A Language Right or an Interpretational Right?

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
6.2 Linguistic (In)Equality in South Africa’s Legal System
Linguistic Equality for African Language-Speaking Litigants

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
7. The Language Question before Courts
Selected South African Case Law

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
8. South Africa’s Legal Practitioners and Judicial Officers
Language Qualifications and Competencies

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
9. The Relationship between South Africa’s Legal System and Higher Education Institutions
A Policy-Based Approach

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala
10. Conclusions and Recommendations
The Way Forward

Zakeera Docrat, Russell H. Kaschula , Monwabisi K. Ralarala