NATIONAL-CULTURAL LACUNAE IN ENGLISH LEGAL DISCOURSE AND THEIR ETYMOLOGICAL BASIS

The article investigates national-cultural lacunae in English legal discourse and examines their etymological foundations within the framework of legal linguistics and linguoculturology. Legal discourse represents a complex interaction between language, culture, history, and legal consciousness. Due to the historical evolution of the English legal system, numerous legal terms and concepts emerged that possess no direct equivalents in other linguistic and legal traditions. These culturally specific lexical and conceptual gaps are defined as lacunae. The article analyzes the historical origins, semantic development, and cultural specificity of lacunar legal terminology in English legal discourse. Particular attention is devoted to the etymological sources of English legal vocabulary, including Anglo-Saxon, Norman French, Latin, and ecclesiastical influences. The study identifies the role of historical legal institutions in shaping national-cultural lacunae and explores translation challenges arising in intercultural legal communication. Comparative, etymological, descriptive, and discourse-analytical methods are employed to examine legal terminology from statutes, judicial opinions, and legal dictionaries. The findings demonstrate that legal lacunae are deeply rooted in the historical development of Common Law and reflect national legal mentality, institutional traditions, and sociocultural values. The research contributes to comparative legal linguistics, discourse studies, and translation theory by revealing the interdependence between etymology, culture, and legal semantics in English legal discourse.