Is there any difference between deputies & lawmakers?

Question

As a non-native speaker quite often I get in trouble with slight differences between concepts. So, regarding to this doubt I think both of them are used to express the same thing but I'm not sure about it.\n\nAfter looking for an answer in my dictionary but having no answer, I was told by a lawyer (ESL-learner) that these two words are similar in the matter of laws. However, I wanted to make it clear.\n\nCould anyone help me out? Any help would be welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Yes, there is a difference.

In short, deputies enforce the laws that lawmakers make.

So, a lawmaker, in this sense, directs the deputies actions, not the other way around. Furthermore, the word 'deputies' refers to 'deputize' which simply means to 'designate' or 'to be a designee'. For example, the sheriff sends his deputy out on a cold night to your property to enforce a law created by a lawmaker who is home, asleep in his bed.

Hope this helps.