The most immediate crossover discipline for legal interpretation is linguistics. The law is written in language; therefore, the rules of language must theoretically underpin the rules of law. However, the relationship is fraught with friction.
thought (subjective), or what their words would mean to a "reasonable person" (objective)? Most modern systems favor the objective approach to ensure commercial certainty. The Four Corners Rule: thought (subjective), or what their words would mean
The parallels between statutory interpretation and literary interpretation are striking. In legal theory, debates between originalism (focus on authorial intent) and living constitutionalism (focus on evolving meaning) mirror the literary battles between E.D. Hirsch Jr. (authorial intent) and Roland Barthes/Ronald Dworkin (the "writerly" text). In legal theory, debates between originalism (focus on
Perhaps the most profound interdisciplinary influence comes from literary theory. The "hermeneutic turn" in law treats legal texts akin to literary works. Just as a literary critic interprets a novel, a judge interprets a statute. But whose interpretation controls? particularly regarding how sacred
: Offers historical models of hermeneutics, particularly regarding how sacred, unchanging texts are applied to modern, evolving circumstances. 2. Interpretation of Private Texts
to ensure the result is consistent with the "spirit" of the law.