ratify

[Ocham]

Hello,
Could anyone tell me if I can replace "ratified" with an easier word in the following sentences?

The court ruled that the woman was a victim of racism and that such treatment is against the law. But interestingly, the court did not mention domestic law. The judge said that the Japanese government had ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1995, and that this treaty prohibits racial discrimination in Japan.

 

[panjandrum]

I don't know why you want an easier word, and I don't think you will find one that carries all of the significance of ratify. Endorse might come close, but is not sufficient.
Have a look at the definition for ratify and follow the links to Merriam-Webster and to dictionary.com given there. That will show you other words that have some of the meaning of ratify, and will also show the richness of meaning in ratify.

 

[Ocham]

I looked up the dictionary you had mentioned and found "approved"
suitable because Japanese high school students are familiar with the
word. Can I place "approved" in place of "ratified" without changing
the meaning?

 

[panjandrum]

I looked up the dictionary you had mentioned and found "approved"
suitable because Japanese high school students are familiar with the
word. Can I place "approved" in place of "ratified" without changing
the meaning?

Not really.
Ratify carries a breadth of meaning. For example, in the example sentence it means that the Japanese government not only approved the convention but also agreed that Japan should be bound by it, demonstrating not only approval but also commitment.

 

[Katejo]

I agree with Panjandrum. There is not an alternative to ratify

 

[Ocham]

Thank you very much, panjandrum and Katejo.
Your advice is very felpful.