What exactly is legal about legal language What happens to legal language when it is used across linguistic national sociopolitical cultural and legal systems In what way is generic integrity of legal documents maintained in multilingual and multicultural legal contexts What happens when the same rule of law is applied across legal systems By bringing together scholars and practitioners from more than ten countries representing various jurisdictions languages and sociopolitical backgrounds this book addresses these key issues arising from the differences in legal or sociocultural systems. The discussions are based not only on the analysis of the legal texts alone but also on the factors shaping such constructions and interpretations. Given the increasing international need for accurate and authoritative translation and use of legal documents this important volume has considerable contemporary relevance in a globalized economy. It will appeal to discourse analysts commercial consultants legal trainers translators and applied researchers in professional communication especially in the field of legal writing and languages for specific purposes.