Quintesence of linguistic examination as an integral component of the legislative process of Ukraine

Abstract

The article examines the essence and importance of linguistic expertise as an integral part of the legislative process. In particular, it has been established that in world practice, linguistic control of rulemaking is a compulsory phenomenon. However, the legal status of the linguistic expertise of the draft laws has not yet been determined in Ukraine. It has been found out that linguistic examination of draft laws involves studying the system of linguistic representation of legal concepts and categories in normative legal acts, application of basic methods of legislative style, as well as methods of complex linguistic and stylistic processing of legal texts, editorial analysis. The object of linguistic expertise is linguistic units of different levels (word, phrase, sentence, complex semantic, text). Its main task is to prevent violations of language rules in the text of the draft law. We are talking about linguistic errors in draft normative acts, semantic ambiguity, inaccuracy and ambiguity of formulations, tautology, grammatical errors, etc. It is established that the introduction of linguistic expertise of bills is an effective method of ensuring the quality of legislation. At the same time, it is emphasized that it is inappropriate to prepare draft laws on contractual, including paid basis by appropriate scientific and research institutions at the expense of penalties from those MPs who do not attend meetings of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In view of this, it is proposed to create a structural unit (committee) in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which would professionally carry out linguistic examination of bills. This structural unit should be formed in the light of positive foreign experience. In particular, it is proposed to include philologists and jurists in its composition. After all, as the foreign experience has shown, the cooperation of linguists and jurists will give an opportunity to comprehensively approach the improvement of legal language. In addition, it was stressed the need to consolidate the requirement of linguistic expertise in the content of the draft Law of Ukraine «On Laws and Legislative Activity». Key words: linguistic expertise of normative legal acts, linguistic expertise of the draft law, legislative process, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, quality assurance of legal regulations.