Mark Liberman at Language Log has just discovered A.P.Herbert’s Uncommon Law – a book I have difficulty reading more than a page of because it is so ridiculous – and finds it a believable description of English law. This illustrates the repeated discovery that there is nothing more ridiculous than another country’s law:

bq. …So far, so good. But the essay (or the judge’s opinion — it’s not clear to me whether Herbert is channeling the judge or merely quoting him) concludes that the stereotypes exempting women from reasonableness are to be endorsed.

bq. “To return, however, as every judge must ultimately return, to the case which is before us — it has been urged for the appellant, and my own researches incline me to agree, that in all that mass of authorities which bears upon this branch of the law there is no single mention of a reasonable woman.”

There’s nothing new here, according to Wikipedia:

bq. Although the Misleading Cases were entirely fictional, they on several occasions were picked up by newspapers both in Britain and elsewhere as factual. One judicial decision (supposedly establishing a novel crime of “doing what you like”) was sharply criticized by an American law review article, whose author failed to note its entire absurdity. Other cases have been quoted admiringly and with full knowledge in actual judicial decisions.

A.P.Herbert has in fact been translated into German, but I seem to have mislaid my copy: Rechtsfälle, Linksfälle.

Interpretation and Translation Resources for the Criminal Justice System, on the LLRX site for March – possibly soon to be replaced by April, or have they got the month wrong? If the link ceases to work, the article will still be somewhere on the LLRX site.

Many links, for example to flash cards for identifying languages, how to work with interpreters, directories of interpreters and translators (one wonders how they chose the three private companies listed), federal and state ethics codes and interpreter programmes, and guides for judges, attorneys and court staff on how to work with interpreters. There are also links to periodicals, with some past issues available online, and a bibliography.

(I overlooked this month’s LLRX till I saw it on Handakte WebLAWg),

The German Federal Constitutional Court now has an English version of its website.
Previously there have been English versions of judgments online, but they have not been easy to find. Now the link to decisions is available.

Opposite Nuremberg Castle.

Vor einigen Jahren hat die berühmte Sun aufgerufen, gegen Pädophile vorzugehen. Leider spürte eine Kinderärztin (Englisch “paediatrician”) die Auswirkungen dieser Kampagne – die Geschichte wurde allerdings so oft erzählt, dass die Details unklar sind.

In connection with the recent removal of details of sex offenders from the Internet in the USA, I was trying to remember the story of the paediatrician whom Latin-challenged British persons persecuted. No wonder I couldn’t remember the story – it’s suffered the urban legend treatment. The BBC puts the record straight:

bq. In August 2000, a female paediatrician consultant called Yvette Cloete was indeed labelled a “paedo” after a campaign by the News of the World to name and shame paedophiles in the community.

bq. The incident took place in Newport, Gwent, not in Portsmouth (where there had been anti-paedophile protests after eight-year-old Sarah Payne was murdered) or London.

bq. Dr Cloete returned from work at the Royal Gwent Hospital to find “paedo” spray-painted on her front door. Local police believe the graffiti was written by someone who confused her job title with the word paedophile.

bq. It was no doubt a very distressing incident for Ms Cloete, who decided to move home shortly afterwards. But there is no evidence that a mob was involved or of any threats or incidents of physical pressure or violence.

The Independent reports:

bq. German builders are heading to the UK in a reversal of the Auf Wiedersehen, Pet emigration of the British building trade in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Thoughts are being given to cultural and language training:

bq. Andreas Thiele, managing director of E & E Fertigteile GmbH, knows first- hand about the cultural differences, having once worked for an English firm.

bq. “There’s a different kind of honour code there. The spoken word is taken much more seriously in England. We Germans tend to be overly legal with everything spelled out in written contracts. Over there in the UK a handshake and word of honour will do,” says Thiele.

bq. Language can also be a barrier, so the craftsmen organisation offers an English course geared specifically towards the construction industry. Such phrases as “I need more cement” and “Have you measured up that wall?” are on the agenda but not “Wer wird den tee machen?” – who’s going to make the tea?