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A Brief Etymology of Law

Abstract

The English language of the law is marked by an absence. For centuries the words different cultures use for ‘law’ have had a dyadic nature, consisting of both Lex and Ius. Lex encompasses imposed law, and Ius cultural norms and principles of justice. English, however, separates the ideas of Lex and Ius into the words law and rights; leaving Ius absent from the single idea contained in the word law. In this paper, I explore the etymology of the words for law across historical languages and cultures, including Akkadian, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, and German. I then ask why English chose this etymological path compared to its linguistic contemporaries. From this inquiry, I argue that the organic interaction of Lex and Ius forms a culture’s macro understanding of ‘The Law’. I conclude by considering whether the absence of Ius in English leads to confusion, and ultimately a shallower conception of the law than is present in other Western legal languages.

Cite as: Abiusi, JLL 13 (2024), F1–F23, DOI: 10.14762/jll.2024.F01

Keywords

law, legal theory, language, legal etymology

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References

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