Black's Law Dictionary: Sixth Edition Overview

Black's Law Dictionary

The standard authority for legal definitions since 1891.

Sixth Edition

The latest edition of Black's Law Dictionary, reflecting changes in law since the Fifth Edition in 1979.

Legal Vocabulary Expansion

The vocabulary of the law has continued to change and expand to keep pace with new legal developments.

Addition of Legal Terms

This new edition required the addition or revision of over 5,000 legal words and terms.

Reexamination of Entries

All existing entries were reexamined for currentness of legal usage.

Traditional Legal Concepts

Traditional legal concepts and doctrines have been superseded, modified, or supplemented by court decisions or legislation.

Uniform Commercial Code

A major source of law that is fully reflected in the new edition.

Restatements of the Law

A major source of law that is fully reflected in the new edition.

Model Penal Code

A major source of law that is fully reflected in the new edition.

Federal Rules

A major source of law that is fully reflected in the new edition.

Federal Laws Impact

The growth and importance of federal laws are evidenced with numerous new entries and citations.

Financial Terminology

The expanding importance of financial terminology has necessitated the inclusion of numerous new tax, finance, and accounting terms.

Examples of Word Usages

Examples of word usages, with citations, have been added throughout to illustrate how specific terms are used in various legal contexts.

Internal Cross-References

The number of internal cross-references has been greatly increased due to the inter-relationship of legal words and terms.

Legislative Changes

Congress and the states continue to legislate new rights and remedies.

Court Definitions

The courts continue to define and redefine legal terms.

Uniform or Model Laws

States are increasingly adopting uniform or model laws and rules.

New Causes of Action

New causes of action and legal concepts continue unabated.

Legal Definitions

Definitions of the terms and phrases of American and English Jurisprudence, ancient and modern.

Contributing Authors

Individuals who contributed to the Sixth Edition include Joseph R. Nolan and Jacqueline M. Nolan-Haley.

Copyright Information

Copyright @ 1990 By WEST PUBLISHING CO.

Library of Congress Cataloging

Cataloging information for Black's Law Dictionary is provided by the Library of Congress.

ISBN Numbers

ISBN 0-314-76271-X and ISBN 0-314-77165-4 deluxe are associated with Black's Law Dictionary.

Abbreviation Entries

The number of abbreviation entries has also been substantially expanded.

Pronunciation Guides

A number of changes have been made to the pronunciation guides to make this feature even more helpful.

Comprehensive Explanation

A comprehensive explanation of these guides is set forth on pages vii-xiv.

Pronunciation Key

A shorter pronunciation Key appearing on the inside front cover.

Joseph R. Nolan

Prepared new and revised words and terms for this Sixth Edition.

M.J. Connolly

Prepared the pronunciation transcription system and guides.

Stephen C. Hicks

Revised and updated words and terms of the United Kingdom.

Martina N. Alibrandi

Updated and expanded tax and accounting terms.

Language of the Law

The language of the law is ever-changing as the courts, Congress, state legislatures, and administrative agencies continue to define, redefine and expand legal words and terms.

Legal Dictionary Usage

A legal dictionary should only be used as a 'starting point' for definitions.

Supplemental Research

Additional research should follow for state or federal variations, for further or later court interpretations, and for specific applications.

Helpful Sources

Helpful sources for supplemental research are 'Words and Phrases' and WESTLAW.

Latin Terms

A majority of the Latin terms in this revised edition have been provided with pronunciation entries.

Descriptive Scheme

The pronunciations follow a descriptive scheme and are based on actual usage rather than on any attempt to prescribe a uniform pronunciation.

Alternate Pronunciations

Where alternate pronunciations exist, philologically more appropriate pronunciation generally receives first listing.

Transcription System

The entries provide an acceptable pronunciation in a transcription system compatible with the major varieties of North American English.

Latin as a Working Language

Despite its continuing decline as a working language of scholarship and jurisprudence, Latin still supplies a formidable stock of legal terms and phrases.

Well-Rounded Jurist

The ability to use a Latin phrase correctly and pronounce it with authority and consistency belongs to the equipment of a well-rounded jurist.

Studying Latin

Those who actually study Latin today will learn a pronunciation at variance with the Anglo-Latin system which prevails in legal and medical spheres.

Alumni

Masculine plural form of 'alumnus', traditionally pronounced / Èlamnay /.

Alumnae

Feminine plural form of 'alumna', traditionally pronounced / Èlamniy /.

Amicus curiae

Traditionally pronounced / ÈmaykÈs kyuriyiy /, now has variants including I ÈmiykÈs kuriyay I.

Sine die

Traditionally pronounced / sayniy dayiy /.

Philological pronunciation

A modification to English speech habits of the reconstructed sounds of Latin as it must have been in the classical period.

Anglo-Latin pronunciation

The form most commonly encountered in law, medicine, and general usage, reflecting centuries of sound change in English.

Italianate pronunciation

Derives from the pronunciation of Later Latin and is viewed as the standard in Roman Catholicism, music, and art history.

Reformed Philological pronunciation

A system that represents reconstructed sounds of Latin from the classical period.

Anglo-Latin

A pronunciation system that enjoys the authority of a distinct cultural tradition.

Latin imperatives

Examples include 'wenite' pronounced /weniyte/ in reformed philological pronunciation.

Venite

Pronounced /vanaytiy/ in Anglo-Latin pronunciation.

Latin setting

An example of singing text as /veyniytey eksulteymus/ in Italianate pronunciation.

Continental pronunciation

A secondary pronunciation often used by scholars of Middle English literature and history.

Letter 'a'

Reformed Philological: /a/, Italianate: /a, ce, ey, Å, 01/.

Letter 'b'

Reformed Philological: /b/, Italianate: /b/.

Letter 'c'

Reformed Philological: /k/, Italianate: /ch/ before 'i', 'e', /k/ elsewhere.

Letter 'd'

Reformed Philological: /d/, Italianate: /d/.

Letter 'e'

Reformed Philological: /ley, el/, Italianate: /e, ey, Å, i, iyl/.

Letter 'f'

Reformed Philological: /f/, Italianate: /f/.

Letter 'g'

Reformed Philological: /g/, Italianate: /g/ before 'n', /j/ before 'i', 'e', /g/ elsewhere.

Letter 'h'

Reformed Philological: /h/, Italianate: /h or silent/.

Letter 'i'

Reformed Philological: /i, iyl/, Italianate: /i, iy, ay, Å/.

Letter 'j'

Reformed Philological: /j/, Italianate: /j/.

Letter 'k'

Reformed Philological: /k/, Italianate: /k/.

Letter 'l'

Reformed Philological: /l/, Italianate: /l/.

Letter 'm'

Reformed Philological: /m/, Italianate: /m/.

Letter 'n'

Reformed Philological: /n/, Italianate: /n/.

Letter 'o'

Reformed Philological: /o/, Italianate: /o, a, Å/.

Letter 'p'

Reformed Philological: /p/, Italianate: /p/.

Letter 'q'

Reformed Philological: /kw/, Italianate: /kw/.

Letter 'r'

Reformed Philological: /r/, Italianate: /r/.

Letter 's'

Reformed Philological: /s/, Italianate: /s, z, sh/.

Letter 't(h)'

Reformed Philological: /t/, Italianate: /t/.

Letter 'u'

Reformed Philological: /u/, Italianate: /u, w/.

Letter 'v'

Reformed Philological: /v/, Italianate: /v/.

Letter 'x'

Reformed Philological: /ks/, Italianate: /ks, gz, z, s/.

Letter 'y'

Reformed Philological: /i, iy/, Italianate: /iy/.

Letter 'z'

Reformed Philological: /z/, Italianate: /z, dz/.

bona fide

appears as /b6wnÅ faydiy/ instead of * /b6nÅ fidiy/

industry

appears as /indÅstriy/ instead of * /indÆstriy/

minor

appears as /maynÅr/ instead of * /minÅr/

licet

Çit is permitted' as /laysÅt/ (cf. license) or /lisÅt/ (cf. licit)

debet

Çone must' as /diybÅt/ or /debÅt/ (cf. debit and credit)

capias

Çthou shouldst seize' as /keypiyÅs/ (cf. cape) or /kcEpiyÅs/ (cf. capture)

transcription system

derived from one of the traditional phonemic analyses of American English (Trager-Smith)

voiceless velar fricative

of German Bach would be rendered with a simple stop /k/

French front rounded eu

would be rendered with /Iyuw/

schwa

represented by the symbol IÈI

ash

represented by the symbol 1001

edh

represented by the symbol IC51

angma

represented by the symbol IIJI

theta

represented by the symbol 81

layl

as in the bold portions of aye, eye, I

lie

as /Ilayl/ buy, by, bye

high

as /Ihayl/ aisle, isle, I'll

idea

as /IaydiYell/

lawl

as in out /lawtl/

how

as /Ihawl/