{"id":3406,"date":"2012-02-22T09:57:17","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T22:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordconstructions.com.au\/blog\/?p=3406"},"modified":"2012-02-08T15:27:08","modified_gmt":"2012-02-08T04:27:08","slug":"making-legalese-clear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wordconstructions.com.au\/blog\/2012\/02\/making-legalese-clear\/","title":{"rendered":"Making legalese clear"},"content":{"rendered":"

Converting legalese into Plain English which is easier to understand<\/a>, while keeping the legal message, is possible and doesn’t have to be that hard, either.<\/p>\n

With the overall aim being to make the content shorter and to use simpler words, you can greatly improve a piece of legalese writing into something more readable.<\/p>\n

Try swapping the phrases and words next time you are writing or editing any legal-based statements to see what a difference they make.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

in respect of \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 about<\/p>\n

due to \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 because<\/p>\n

wherefore \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0why (or what)<\/p>\n

herein \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 in (or within)<\/p>\n

in the event \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 if<\/p>\n

defaults in the payment \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 doesn’t pay<\/p>\n

vendor \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 buyer or customer<\/p>\n

three (3) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 three<\/p>\n

at this time \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 now<\/p>\n

for the purpose of \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 for (or to)<\/p>\n

in order to \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0to<\/p>\n

in point of fact \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0in fact {or nothing is probably the best option!}<\/p>\n

is required to \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 must<\/p>\n

inasmuch as \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0because (or since)<\/p>\n

making a determination \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 determining (or better, try ‘deciding’)<\/p>\n

subsequent to the use of \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0after using<\/p>\n

whether or not \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 whether<\/p>\n

with reference to \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0regarding (or ‘about’ for real simplicity)<\/p>\n

commence \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0start (or begin)<\/p>\n

utilise \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0use<\/p>\n

in light of the fact that \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 because ( or the really short option ‘as’)<\/p>\n

And remember that ‘include’ means ‘here is part of the full list’ so there is no reason to write ‘including but not limited to …’<\/p>\n

Are there particular words or phrases in legalese (or other hard to read dialects) that stand out for you? What words would you use in stead, or do you need some suggestions of alternatives?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Converting legalese into Plain English which is easier to understand, while keeping the legal message, is possible and doesn’t have to be that hard, either. With the overall aim being to make the content shorter and to use simpler words, you can greatly improve a piece of legalese writing into something more readable. Try swapping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1425],"tags":[184,1436,1437,201],"class_list":["post-3406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-communications","tag-clear","tag-legalese","tag-phrases","tag-words"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t