4 ms·
I was always under the assumption that plain english was avoided because being succinct can leave things open to interpretation. This would leaves legal documen
by nchlswu 14y ago
I was always under the assumption that plain english was avoided because being succinct can leave things open to interpretation. This would leaves legal documents up for debate and open to loopholes.
Am I wrong in this assumption?
I often find myself writing things that are too verbose in fear that I won't be interpreted as intended. I recognize that this is an inherent challenge in writing, but is there any intermediate solution? Can there not be a "plain language" version of a document? Or why can't legal documents be primarily written in plain language, with notes (like footnotes) for legal clarification?
- kevinnk 14y agoActually, a lot of laws are written this way with a "English" version that most lawmakers read and a "legal" version that actually becomes law.
- hammock 14y agoYou might be. Think of it in this way: the more you write, the more ideas are offered for your audience to interpret - and misinterpret. Shorter writing can be clearer, if written well.