TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Legal English? (take II) From:eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com To:Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca> Date:Wed, 11 Feb 2004 15:27:06 -0500
Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca> wrote on 02/11/2004 03:21:35 PM:
> lawyers are generally more
> interested in avoiding misunderstandings than in profitingfrom them.
But one of the skills in writing up contracts is to write in language that
agrees with RFP and requirements but is subtly different and can be
interpreted more leniently by the supplier.
> But the results suggest that the legal profession as a whole could
> benefit from a large number of skilled editors.
But what would they allow you to edit. I doesn't matter what an editor
says a particular text means or that their rewrite is identical or clearer
than the passage being replaced. The opinion that matters is that of a
judge or jury. If you edit the text, it no longer has a legal definition
and is open to being rechallenged in court.
