Badge

What does Badge mean in American Law?

The definition of Badge in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

A symbolic representation of office or status, usually a physical object worn on the person, e.g., a police badge (which, because of its usual shape, most police refer to as a “shield”).

Legal Usage of Badge (badge, to Badge) in English

An European Commission document offers the following explanation about the misused of Badge (badge, to Badge):The noun ‘badge’ is widely used in the European Union institutions to indicate either a service pass or a tag used by employees (‘agents’) to clock in and out. Neither is usually called a badge in English, as the word generally refers to something that is worn (usually pinned, stuck or sewn to the bearer’s outer clothing). By extension, the English term ‘to clock in/out’, has been replaced here by the neologism ‘to badge’. On a brighter note, the little signs saying ‘badger’ at the Court entrances afford some harmless amusement for English-speaking staff (see Badger in this reference).

Example

‘One of the key features of the project is to rationalise and reduce the large number of types of badge that currently exist.’ ‘New topping up system for your children’s badge at the European School.’

Alternatives

‘service pass’ or simply ‘pass’ for the piece of plastic you use to get into a building, ‘tag’ for the clocking-in device, and ‘clock in/out’ for the verb. In the school example above, the object is actually a ‘lunch card’.

Resources

Further Reading

• David Mellinkoff, “Mellinkoff’s Dictionary of American Legal Usage”, West Publishing Company, 1992
• Bryan A. Garner, “A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage”, West Publishing Company, 1995

Badge in Voting Law

Definition of Badge in the context of the United States election law: A label bearing information worn by a person to identify him or her and the organisation which he or she represents or works for. Badges must be worn in a way which allows its owner to be easily identified. In many countries, the electoral law stipulates that badges must be worn by election observers, party and candidate representatives, journalists, election authority officials and particularly by polling station staff.

Badge in Voting Law

Definition of Badge in the context of the United States election law: A label bearing information worn by a person to identify him or her and the organisation which he or she represents or works for. Badges must be worn in a way which allows its owner to be easily identified. In many countries, the electoral law stipulates that badges must be worn by election observers, party and candidate representatives, journalists, election authority officials and particularly by polling station staff.