7 - Through the Lens of Language

Summary

In this chapter the authors discuss their empirical research strategies through which innovative questions relating to the impact of language and multilingualism on the production of jurisprudence by the ECJ can be examined. Focusing specifically on the significance of language for Advocates General (AGs) at the ECJ, the authors examine how semi-structured interviews and corpus linguistics analysis can shine a light on processes within the ECJ that are otherwise invisible: semi-structured interviews are uniquely suited to uncovering otherwise invisible factors that impact the institutional culture of the ECJ; and corpus linguistics analysis can help to investigate whether those invisible factors can in fact be ‘seen’ in the output of that institution – its jurisprudence. The chapter demonstrates step by step how this unique research design can help to develop original objects of inquiry that speak to broader research questions relating to the impact of language on EU law more generally. By focusing specifically on the ‘added value’ of this type of empirical research to the body of work on the ECJ, the authors show how such methods can be used in an interdisciplinary way to gain a nuanced and rich understanding of the many layers that come together to produce EU jurisprudence.