[Volokh] Eugene Volokh: Illeism Legalism:

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Posted by Eugene Volokh:
Illeism Legalism:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_04_27-2008_05_03.shtml#1209772896


   As the [1]Washington Post reports:

     Acting as his own attorney, Pellicano made his closing
     arguments.... [He] addressed his jury. "Hi," he said. "This is the
     first time I will be able to speak for Mr. Pellicano." Because of
     the rules of the court, Pellicano the advocate must refer to
     Pellicano the defendant in the third person. You are correct: It is
     weird.

   Well, it's weird by comparison to how people talk about themselves,
   but it's not weird by comparison to how lawyers talk about the
   defendant. To a lawyer, a closing argument that's chock full of "I"'s
   would sound very strange, and I take it the court's concern is that it
   will unduly personalize the process for the jury. So it's a slightly
   silly affectation in normal life, but legally compulsory in this
   unusual context.

   Thanks to [2]Language Log for the pointer.

References

   1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/30/AR2008043003836.html
   2. http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=118#more-118