Revisiting Roe v. Wade: An Exploration of the Language and Meaning of the 1973 Supreme Court Case

 

Mary C. Fletcher
Dr. Amy Norgard, Faculty Mentor

Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that substantially changed the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution to include the right for a woman to an abortion, was written in clear, idiomatic English to match the language of the courts.  Traditionally, the Latin language has occupied a prevalent position in the United States court system.  Often called “Law Latin,” this term is used to highlight Latin as a key facet in the history of the language of the law.  In this project, I aim to translate selections of Roe v. Wade from its original English into the Latin language.  The purpose of this project is to come to a better understanding of the meaning of the decision made by the Supreme Court in 1973 as well as to recognize the importance of revisiting this case with the current challenges to the ruling in the lower courts.

 

Keywords: Latin, Law, Reproductive Rights, Women and Gender Studies

Topic(s):Classics
Latin

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA