LEGAL TERMINOLOGY IN VACHAGAN THE PIOUS’S “CANONICAL CONSTITUTION
https://doi.org/10.59982/18294359-25.2-ie-17
Abstract
Medieval legal literature not only reflects the legal thought of its time but has also played a significant role in the formation of terms that continue to be used in modern legal language. It also serves as a source for the study of legal consciousness, mechanisms of social regulation, and linguistic-cultural heritage, and is therefore regarded today not only within the framework of legal research but also in linguistic and historical-cultural studies. In this respect, Vachagan the Pious’s “Canonical Constitution” is a valuable testimony to the linguistic systematization and professional formulation within medieval Armenian jurisprudence. This document reflects the legal regulations and church-society relations of its time, wherein the employed terminology and structural approaches testify to the crucial processes involved in the formation of the internal system of legal language. The terms employed in the canons, with their semantic precision, depth of meaning, and linguistic integrity-are of interest not merely from a historical perspective but can also be viewed as reference points in the development of the professional language of Modern Eastern Armenian, particularly in the evolution of legal terminology. The study of these canons demonstrates that medieval Armenian legal literature embodies a rich and structured terminological layer, the reinterpretation and adaptation of which may contribute to the refinement of the modern legal language, minimizing excessive reliance on foreign borrowings.
Keywords: Vachagan III the Pious, Classical Armenian (Grabar), Legal word units, constitution, rules, semantics.
PAGES : 167-175