The language of care in EU legislation on the war in Ukraine (based on Polish, Bulgarian, Greek, and English materials)
The language of care in EU legislation on the war in Ukraine (based on Polish, Bulgarian, Greek, and English materials)

Author(s): Iliana Genew-Puhalewa
Subject(s): Lexis, EU-Legislation
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: care; EU legal language; terminology; axiological concept; Russia’s war against Ukraine
Summary/Abstract: This study investigates the linguistic encoding of the concept of care in European Union (EU) legislative discourse, focusing on how it is expressed across English, Bulgarian, Greek, and Polish-language versions of legal texts. By analysing EU regulations, particularly those responding to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the study examines how care is conceptualised through actions, objects, and subjects. The findings reveal that institutional mechanisms - financial, procedural, and regulatory - dominate the representation of care, rather than terminology reflecting interpersonal relationships or ethical concerns. Additionally, cross-linguistic differences emerge, with certain languages displaying historically charged terminology, contrasting with the neutrality of English legal discourse. While EU law largely adheres to terminological standardisation, these linguistic variations highlight subtle divergences in axiological framing. The study ultimately demonstrates that EU legal language operationalises care as an administrative function, reinforcing a governance-oriented rather than relational model of assistance.

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