''As a student of language and literature, I wish to define 'Interpretation' as a constant negotiation of meaning-between the text and the reader in context; in the absent presence of the author'' Phew! The language teacher gets started thus when the Professor of Law who teaches the 'Interpretation of Statutes' Course to the students of IV year allows her to make, what the language teacher herself I chooses to term as ''Noise'', in their class. Pleased with their characteristic receptivity to interdisciplinarity, she decides to venture further, Ahem! ''Interpretation is also a negotiation of meaning between the author and the text - thus interpretation taken place not only at the point of decoding by the reader, but also at the moment of encoding by the author at the moment of construction of a text''. This time knitted brows and raised hands show eagerness to disagree. Such moments unconsciously register the characteristic resistance of the votaries of a discipline to ''intrusion'' by other disciplines; points at which ''interdisciplinarity'' becomes an inconvenient and unexpected new comer. ''How's that possible?'' the law kids object. The language teacher and the Professor of law decide to sustain the objection. They are all ears. ''When you choose a word,'' they continue, ''You know why you're using it . . . now how does that become interpretation?''

''Your very choice of words'', she attempts to explain, ''to convey an idea only interprets the idea. The way in which, for instance, your perception of social reality is subject to your socio-cultural political and economic influences and a hoard of other experiences conscious and unconscious, stated, unstead, known and unknown. Interpretation at the point of encoding is not the same as interpretation at the point of decoding.''

The resistance of course was to her describing the act of construction also an interpretation. God sent, Adv. Sriram Panchu's demostrative skills while explaining the rediments of interpretation beings to mind Justice Holme's words, ''The life of law has not been logic, it has been experience''. He wins her more subscribers much to the dismay of the exponent of the opposing school of thought.

As the monsoon days on campus warm up - never mind the paradox - in Prof. Upendra Baxi's erudite presence, one of the fourth years grinning sheepishly accosts her near the library: ''I was convinced when you said that there is interpretation at the point of construction. Somehow I was also taken in by your opponent's perspective . . .'' (Sigh . . . So I am also losing votaries . . .) ''. . . till Prof. Baxi in his yesterday's lecture said that there was interpretation in construction''.

There . . . she's talking to a swing judge!

Well, I shall get back to you letter. Meanwhile if you have views on interpretation why don't you share with us dikshitha@yahoo.co.uk at DKISHITHA C/o. Newsletter ''As a student of language and literature, I wish to define `NALSAR, University of Law, 3-4-761, Barkatpura, Hyderabad.