For centuries, the ruling elite and the royal courts conducted business in French, while the common people continued to speak English. When a document refers to the "attorney general" or a "jury deliberation," the specific French-rooted words carry with them a weight of tradition and a clear definition that plain English might struggle to replicate.
Administrative Language French English: Legal Terms and Court Vocabulary
Court: From the Old French courte , meaning a enclosed space or gathering, reflecting the assembly of lords and officials. Defendant: Stemming from the French defendu , meaning "to defend," denoting the party being sued or accused.
Consequently, the terminology for legal concepts, court hierarchy, and procedural elements was borrowed directly from the French spoken by the aristocracy. Bar: Originating from the Old French barre , referring to the physical barrier in a courtroom separating the public from the legal proceedings.
Administrative Language French English: Legal Courts in English from French
Attorney: Derived from the Old French atorner , meaning "to appoint. This historical event is the primary reason why so many formal legal terms, particularly those describing courts and their functions, remain rooted in the French language.
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