The Language or Languages of Consumer Contracts

In: The Cambridge yearbook of European legal studies: CYELS, Band 8, S. 229-257

Abstract

Does european community law make any requirement as to the language in which the terms of consumer contracts are to be expressed?At the outset, I need to explain that the significance of this question (and its answer) will differ according to what is meant by the word 'language' itself. A first meaning is found where one refers to English, French, or Chinese as a 'language', that is, to quote theOxford English Dictionary, 'a system of communication used by a particular country or community'. A second meaning of 'language', again as explained by theOxford English Dictionary, refers to 'the manner or style of a piece of writing or speech'; so, for example, one may describe a piece of prose as being written in simple or elaborate, verbose or laconic, language. To avoid confusion in the following discussion, I shall refer to these two different significances as 'language type' and 'language style'.