 |
Judge's «respectful» plea for plainer English
|
|
|
|
A barrister is a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth in place of a tongue. Or so it would appear to Mr Justice Staughton, a judge in the Commercial Court.
The learned judge has become irritated at the linguistic duplicity of counsel, and the way in which they use archaic words to camouflage what is at bottom, an insult.
Writing in the current edition of the quarterly legal journal «Counsel», a learned magazine read by upper echelons of the legal profession, the judge tells about barristers who preface a statement to him with the phrase «With respect». What that really means, says the judge, is «you are wrong».
A statement prefaced with the words «With great respect» means «you are utterly wrong». And if a barrister produces the ultimate weapon of «With utmost respect» he is really saying to the court, «Send for the men in white coats».
The judge wants more plain English used in courts, and less of the legal language of the obscure past, some of which he says has been «obsolete» in ordinary speech almost since the Bible.
Words like «humbly» and «respectfully» are not only unnecessary in written legal documents, they are generally untruthful in oral argument, says the judge with utmost respect.
Judges themselves are, of course, not entirely free of guilt in the matter of exchanges which are not very understandable.
As the courtroom clock moves towards 1 pm, counsel might say: «It might be of value to your Lordship if I were to inform you at this juncture that I have several more questions to ask of to this witness which would take some little while». The judge will reply: «This seems a useful time to adjourn». What they really mean is lunch.
17.6.3. Answer the questions in 17.6.1. (Books closed.)
Listening practice
17.7.1. Look at the following questions. You'll have to answer them after reading the text.
1. When did they have school?
2. When did Herbert Berk become politician?
3. What is James Steven?
4. Where is he now?
5. What did Charlie Philipps give to Mary Foot when they left school?
6. When did they get married?
7. Where did they move to?
17.7.2. Listen to the story.
17.7.3. Answer the questions in 17.7.1.
17.7.4. Look through the list of words. They will help you to understand the text. twin — близнец
diverge — отличаться adolescence — юность adulthood — взрослость strive — бороться compliment — дополнять clash — сталкивать sheer — простой deliberately — специально quirk — причуда
17.7.5. Listen to the story. Be ready to give the contents of it.
17.7.6. Tell the contents of the story as close to the text as possible.
Time for fun
17.8.1. Read and translate the following joke:
The excessive bill
Once a man received an exorbitant bill for legal services. He considered the amount excessive, so he went right to the lawyer's office. The conversation went like this:
|
|
|
Client: Is this really my bill?
Lawyer: Isn't this your name on the bill?
C.: Yes.
L.: Who handled it?
C.: One of your secretaries. The tall one with blonde hair and...
L.: Yes, yes. Miss Thompson. She's very accurate. There's no doubt that the bill is correct.
C.: But this is too much for the service I received from your office. I didn't even have the professional services of a real lawyer.
L.: That doesn't have anything to do with it. Here the charge is the same, whether I do the work personally or a secretary takes care of a routine matter such as yours.
C.: But... but it's too much!
L.: Sir, you take care of your business and I'll take care of mine!
C.: Obviously you don't know who I am!
L.: And who are you, sir?
C.: Now I understand this exorbitant bill.
L.: What do you mean?
C.: Simply that I belong to the same profession as you do.
L.: Oh, well! Then there was an oversight. My secretary didn't make a note of that fact. I'm very sorry
about the mistake.
C.: Oh, that's all right. It could happen to anyone.
L.: So you're a member of my profession, eh? Well, in that case, I'll give you a discount of seventy-five
percent.
C.: That's better! Now that bill is for a reasonable sum, I'll pay it right away. Here's the money.
L.: Thank you very much. I hope that you'll forgive this mistake.
C.: Naturally. After taking the money, the lawyer sees his client to the door with great respect and courtesy, and says:
L.: But tell me, friend, where is your office?
C.: Oh, I don't have an office.
L.: But you just told me that you had the same profession as I do.
C.: Yes, I did. I'm a thief too!
17.8.2. Can you complete each sentence in the first list with the appropriate phrase from the second?
1. The telephone operator A. lack of hard work
put through B. by their younger brothers
2. I have out by or sisters
3. She was dreadfully put C. his shoulder, playing
out Rugby
4. If it rains we shall D. enough money for a win-
have to put off ter holiday
5. How can you put up E. your address before I
with forget it
6. George has put out F. the barbecue in the gar-
7. I must put down den tonight
8. We would be happy to G. the noise and fumes of
put you up town life
9. We put his failure H. I shall stop smoking
down to I. by his unkind remarks
10. If cigarettes are put up J. if you would like to stay
11. Older children are the night
often put upon K. a warm jumper and hea-
12. When he began to vy coat
shiver he decided to L. the call from London
put on
UNIT 18
Фонетика: sounds [b], [p]
Словообразование: сложные существительные типа witness-box
Грамматика: придаточные подлежащие, придаточные сказуемые
Текст: «Pete and Nell go to the pictures» (cont.)
Sound right
18.1.1. Listen, look, say:
beauty ebb sobbed sublet breath
boom cab obtain sublime bring
box rib rub down sublibrarian bride
boast sob club Dan Bob likes broom
ball rub rob Peter Hob looks brown
best lab globe trotter rub Lester bright
18.1.2. Listen, look, say:
1. A bad job.
2. A bad blunder.
3. The biter's bit.
4. Ben's as bold as brass.
5. Bob is a big bug.
6. Bel has a bee in her bonnet.
7. Bab lives at the back of beyond.
|
|
|
8. Don't be a busybody, baby.
9. Bram broke the back of the business.
10. Bee is a bread-and-butter miss.
11. Bob was black-balled.
18.1.3. Listen and look. Pay attention to the difference between the sounds [p] and [b]
I
A. You can't keep a pet in these apartments.
В. Can't I keep a puppy?
A. You can't keep a pet in these apartments.
B. Or a kitten, perhaps.
A. You can't keep a pet in these apartments.
B. You ought to keep a pet yourself, you know.
A. You can't keep a pet in these apartments.
B. Why not try a parrot, for instance?
II
A. When the rain stops, you'll see how beautiful the beach is.
B. But the rain's been pouring down for two days! We've both caught cold. Let's pack our bags and go back to town.
A. The bedroom is a bit damp, yes. But it's better than a tent. You wanted to go camping, remember?
B. You're impossible, Tom!
A. Well, you did! You wanted to sleep in a tent! Oh, all right. Let's pack.
III
A. Was it a good game?
B. It was a terrible game.
A. You had a good day for it.
B. A beautiful day.
A. Did Tom score?
B. He scored twice.
A. And you?
B. Now, where did I put that can of beer?
A. Did you score?
B. Oh, got it.
A. Perhaps next time.
B. Hm.
IV
A. How d'you do? I'm Parker.
B. How d'you do, Barker.
A. Parker.
B. Oh, Parker, with a «p».
A. With a «p», yes.
B. Er... I'm Barker. A Barker with a «B», of course.
В. А «В».
Yes.
A. Ah.
B. Mm.
A. Er... well, goodbye. Barker.
B. Goodbye, Parker.
18.1.4. Listen, look, say. Pay attention to the intonation.
18.1.5. Read the dialogues in pairs.
18.1.6. Try to read the tongue-twister as fast as you can:
A big blue bucket of blue blueberries.
Word-building
(Compound nouns)
18.2.1. Translate the following compound nouns:
moonlight, bookshop, brainwork, furcap, bedtime, tabletalk, dogshow, housemaid, teargas, cloakroom, snowstorm, thunderstorm, glasswork, flower bed, folk-dance.
Full understanding
18.3.1. Смотрите, слушайте, повторяйте:
to address [@d'res], ceremony ['serIm@nI], to qualify ['kwOlIfaI], extraordinary [Ikst'rþdnrI], alibi [{lIbaI].
Proper names: Mr. Myers ['maI@z], Germany.
18.3.2. Смотрите, слушайте, повторяйте, запомните:
New words:
witness-box — место для дачи показаний
objection — возражение
accomplice [@'kOmplIs] — соучастник
to testify ['testIfaI] — свидетельствовать
to solve — решать, разрешать
suspect — подозревать
to be free — быть свободным
to bring a verdict — вынести вердикт
to release [rIl'Ös] — освобождать
innocent ['In@s@nt] — невиновный
perjury ['рý³@rI] — лжесвидетельство
to care — заботиться
to exhibit [Ig'zIbIt] — выставлять
to execute ['eksIkjüt] — казнить
marriage — брак
School vocabulary:
to enter, husband, coat, to open, to depend on, idea, to understand, to run.
18.3.3. Прочитайте и переведите:
|
|
|
