Act or Law?

[AlejandraRivera]

Hello!

I have a problem here. In my last friday translation classes (Introduction to English-Spanish translation) asked me what is the difference between act and law, and when are this terms used...in what context.

Thanks a lot..

Alejandra.

 

[Anglika]

Welcome to the forums.

Act = formal decision made by a parliament or other group of elected law-makers

Law = a rule, usually made by a government, that is used to order the way in which a society behaves, or the whole system of such rules.

A ratified Act becomes Law.

 

[BobK]

... and before it's an Act it's a Bill.

b

 

[banderas]

In general, we have a bill first. If the bill is passed, it becomes an act. When the act comes into force, then it becomes law.

In colloquial speech, law is a general term:
No one is above the law.
What you did was clearly against the law.
whereas act is more specific:
The company had breached the 1994 Companies Act.