A Multidimensional Analysis of Pakistani Legal English

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate linguistic variation among genres of Pakistani Legal English by applying multidimensional analysis. In a legal context, language performs different functions. This results in a variety of textual categories on the basis of purpose of communication and linguistic properties. In order to recognize the linguistic properties of any individual genre, a comparative study of genre categories is essential. The study has been conducted on the sample of eight Pakistani Legal genres based on around two million words. Data have been analyzed by applying Biber’s (1988) model of Multidimensional analysis. Findings reveal variation in linguistic patterns. All categories have been found significantly different along each dimension. It indicates that legal language is not a homogeneous phenomenon. It has a variety of linguistic features associated with different legal genres, so it must be viewed in terms of goal, purpose, audience and context (variable which affect the language choice).