Summary Academisch en juridisch Engels Tom Vandecasteele intermediate test 1

Test 1, English)
Week 2)



1. Legal professions


Attorney  Term used in the U.S.
 Lawyer (jurist)/someone who can act on behalf of
someone else
 Broad term
Counsel  Broad term for barrister
Barrister  Lawyer who can plead cases in higher courts
Advocate  Scottish term for barrister
Solicitor  Passed examinations of law and society
 Lawyer in lower courts
 Main role: prepare legal documents
Notary Public  Lawyer who has the authority to witness and draw up
(Notaries certain documents
public)  notaris
Prosecutor  brings criminal charges against someone
 procureur
Judge  presides over a court
 decides which party is in the right



2. Stages in the life of a lawyer



Applicant

undergraduate (bachelor student)

graduate (afgestudeerde)

Post-graduate

trainee

practising lawyer

qualified lawyer (10 yrs exp.)

senior lawyer

King's Counsel (recognised for excellence in advocacy)

judge

3. Legalese English

,Archaic terms Outdated terms
Ex: Thereof, whereby, thee/thou
Latin Phrases Ex: ad hoc, per se, infra…
Doubles and 2 or 3 near synonyms
triplets Ex: peace and quiet
Formal words Ex: Commence, terminate, grant…
Passive voice Ex: It is inflicted, it was brought…
Long complex (tangconstructie)
sentences
Use of shall /
Wordy phrases Using more words than necessary.
Ex: due to the fact that, at this point in time…
 AVOID
Nominalisation Using a word that’s not a noun as a noun.
s Ex:
Friendly (adverb) -> friendliness (nom.)
Decide (verb) -> decision (nom.)
 AVOID


4. Prepositions


With Indicates association or accompaniment.
For Indicates a purpose, duration, or benefit.
To Indicates ownership, relationships, or specifications
between entities, enhancing clarity and precision.
Against Indicates opposition, conflict, or contrast, often used to
indicate claims, defenses, or actions taken in legal
proceedings.
Of Indicates ownership, relationships, or specifications
between entities, helping to clarify connections and
meanings.


5. Common errors
Assure To comfort someone.
Ensure To make certain something will happen.
Insure To protect against… (Car insurance…)


Remembe Retain a memory.
r
Remind Cause someone else to remember something.
Recall Retrieve specific information from memory.


To – infinitive (to speak) <> -ing form (speaking)
As Like
Role/function: He works as a teacher. Similarity: She sings like her mother.
Comparison of actions: She sings as Comparison: This tastes like chicken.

, her mother did.


Especially Single something out as more important.
Specially Something done for a particular purpose.


Compare Similarities between different things.
to
Compare Similarities and differences between similar things.
with


Used to True in the past, not anymore. (I used to like…)
Usually Something that happens regularly, but not always.
To be used Something familiar/you’re accustomed to. (I am used to waking
to… up early.)
 Used to + -ing form


6. News literacy
Tabloids Newspapers
Sensational topics In-depth
Subjective Objective
Puns and slang Sober
informal Formal register


Alternative facts = controversial term used to describe statements that
present information or versions of events that differ from the widely accepted
or verified truth.


ONLY FOR THE FINAL TEST:
Lies Trump told:
 Obama wasn’t born in the USA.
 Trump had a bigger inauguration crowd than Obama.
 He ‘won’ the 2020 election.
 He told about 50 lies per day
 Fake news was his most popular phrase on twitter
 He highlighted things that were convenient to him and those subjects
became massive. He also boasted about his achievements and discredited
negative news.
Joe Biden should:
 Focus on unity to get rid of polarisation.