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In traditional terminology research, also in the field of law, the general starting point was that terms are linguistic pointing tools to elements of professional conceptual systems. This approach is suitable for the creation of knowledge-oriented reference works, but has limitations in descriptive terminology work, especially when actual dynamics of a synchronic nature (among lawyers at the same point in time) and diachronic nature (development of terms over time) are to be described. As a reaction to these limitations and in order to describe terms in a way that does justice to their actual linguistic nature, approaches have been developed that do not start theoretically and conceptually from the assumption that term systems exist autonomously. Instead the see terms as connected to communicated and communicable knowledge of actual professional communicants. Such approaches are also geared towards the creation of translation-relevant term databases etc., but are based on the fundamentals of cognitive linguistics, especially so-called frame semantics. It is essential to consider the particularities of structuring knowledge in a given subject (here: in law). In this paper, I present the consequences of adopting a frame approach for the conceptualisation of terminology in the field of law, for the practical recording of terms and their content and for the presentation of the knowledge activated by the terms. The considerations relate in particular to their relevance for interlingual legal translation.

The purpose of this contribution is to present some of the cornerstones of a conceptualisation of legal language that is relevant for a knowledge communication approach to comparative law. Point of departure is the idea of legal language as the language of a discipline that basically reflects the knowledge structures of legal thinking. Following a knowledge communication approach, we draw upon the characteristics of cognition and human knowledge construction as explanatory tools. From here follows that comparative law (for legal or for translational purposes) is oriented towards comparing the legal knowledge held by experts in different legal settings. I present a small selection of approaches developed for this task and end the deliberations by highlighting three perspectives (law as a function system, law as a national culture, law as the result of interpersonal communication) that I see as basic in order to grasp the many facets of legal knowledge relevant for comparative purposes. The purpose of this contribution is to present some of the cornerstones of a conceptualisation of legal language that is relevant for a knowledge communication approach to comparative law. Point of departure is the idea of legal language as the language of a discipline that basically reflects the knowledge structures of legal thinking. Following a knowledge communication approach, the author draws upon the characteristics of cognition and human knowledge construction as explanatory tools. From here follows that comparative law (for legal or for translational purposes) is oriented towards comparing the legal knowledge held by experts in different legal settings. The essay presents a small selection of approaches developed for this task and end the deliberations by highlighting three perspectives––law as a function system, law as a national culture, law as the result of interpersonal communication––that the author sees as basic in order to grasp the many facets of legal knowledge relevant for comparative purposes.

Dieser Band ist eine Festschrift zum 68. Geburtstag von Klaus Schubert, der seit 30 Jahren – zunächst an der Fachhochschule Flensburg, dann an der Universität Hildesheim – als Professor im Bereich der Fachkommunikationswissenschaft starke Impulse gesetzt und das Fach nachhaltig geprägt hat. Nicht nur durch sein Modell der vier Dimensionen der Fachkommunikation, sondern auch durch umfassende Publikationstätigkeit, unerschöpfliche Einsatzbereitschaft in der Lehre und herausragendes Engagement für die Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses hat Klaus Schubert die eigenständige Disziplin der Fachkommunikationswissenschaft begründet, bekannt gemacht und fortentwickelt. Seine Studierenden, Promovierenden und Fachkolleginnen und -kollegen sind dadurch nachhaltig geprägt worden. „Fachkommunikationswissenschaft gestern, heute, morgen“ versammelt Beiträge von Klaus Schuberts ehemaligen und aktuellen Doktorandinnen und Doktoranden, Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern und Weggefährtinnen und Weggefährten, in denen die große Diversität der Fachkommunikationswissenschaft zum Ausdruck kommt.