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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A legislação portuguesa prevê a tutela de assuntos relacionados com a comunicação do
Estado com os cidadãos desde 1966 (artigo 6.º do Código Civil) e 1989 (artigo 20.º da
Constituição da República Portuguesa). Em 1999, o artigo 16.º da Lei da Modernização
Administrativa veio amparar este tema de forma mais específica (bem como a alínea g) do
artigo 2.º, aditada em 2014).
Embora os preceitos anteriores já viessem demonstrar a preocupação do legislador com a
temática da linguagem jurídica, é com a Lei da Modernização Administrativa que temos, pela
primeira vez, uma previsão legal especificamente debruçada sobre ela. Os mencionados
artigos desta Lei vêm definir de forma clara que a Administração Pública se deve dirigir aos
cidadãos através de “linguagem simples, clara, concisa e significativa, sem siglas, termos
técnicos ou expressões reverenciais ou intimidatórias”.
Este é o tema que maioritariamente aqui nos traz. Passados mais de vinte anos desde a
publicação deste diploma, impõe-se fazer um ponto de situação sobre o cumprimento
daquelas disposições por parte do nosso ordenamento jurídico, sendo certo que a opinião do
público em geral continua a ser a da complexidade e burocracia da linguagem da
Administração portuguesa. Para refletir sobre as possíveis causas desta inobservância do disposto legal, impera recorrer
aos conhecimentos das Ciências da Linguagem, para estudar a variante linguística que o
discurso jurídico consubstancia e suas consequências no ato comunicacional.
Posteriormente, traremos à colação um caso real que despoletou alterações administrativas
que já demonstraram consequências positivas. Por fim, tentaremos propor algumas soluções
Portuguese legislation has provided for the protection of issues related to the state's communication with citizens since 1966 (Article 6 of the Civil Code) and 1989 (Article 20 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic). In 1999, Article 16 of the Administrative Modernisation Law provided more specific support for this issue (as did Article 2(g), added in 2014). Although previous provisions had already demonstrated the legislator's concern with the issue of legal language, it is with the Administrative Modernisation Law that we first have a legal provision specifically addressing it. The aforementioned articles of this law clearly define that the Public Administration must address citizens using "simple, clear, concise and meaningful language, without acronyms, technical terms or reverential or intimidating expressions". More than twenty years on from the publication of this law, we need to take stock of how our legal system is complying with its provisions, and it is true that the general public's perception continues to be that the language of the Portuguese administration is complex and bureaucratic. In order to reflect on the possible causes of this non-compliance with the legal provisions, it is imperative to resort to the knowledge of Language Sciences, to study the linguistic variant that legal discourse embodies and its consequences in the act of communication. We will then discuss a real case that triggered administrative changes that have already had positive consequences. Finally, we will try to put forward some solutions.
Portuguese legislation has provided for the protection of issues related to the state's communication with citizens since 1966 (Article 6 of the Civil Code) and 1989 (Article 20 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic). In 1999, Article 16 of the Administrative Modernisation Law provided more specific support for this issue (as did Article 2(g), added in 2014). Although previous provisions had already demonstrated the legislator's concern with the issue of legal language, it is with the Administrative Modernisation Law that we first have a legal provision specifically addressing it. The aforementioned articles of this law clearly define that the Public Administration must address citizens using "simple, clear, concise and meaningful language, without acronyms, technical terms or reverential or intimidating expressions". More than twenty years on from the publication of this law, we need to take stock of how our legal system is complying with its provisions, and it is true that the general public's perception continues to be that the language of the Portuguese administration is complex and bureaucratic. In order to reflect on the possible causes of this non-compliance with the legal provisions, it is imperative to resort to the knowledge of Language Sciences, to study the linguistic variant that legal discourse embodies and its consequences in the act of communication. We will then discuss a real case that triggered administrative changes that have already had positive consequences. Finally, we will try to put forward some solutions.
Description
Keywords
Modernização administrativa Linguagem jurídica Decreto-Lei n.º 135/99 Administrative modernization Legal language Decree-Law n.º 135/99
Citation
Publisher
Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto