Throat clearing: Difference between revisions

From The Jolly Contrarian
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{pe}}Much of the text that comprises a modern financial services trading contract amounts to textual [[throat-clearing]]: filler to create heft and dispel the sinking feeling that what you might be up to by entering this binding legal arrangement might not be very much at all.
{{pe}}Much of the text that comprises a modern [[Finance contract|financial services contract]] amounts to textual [[throat-clearing]]: filler to create heft and dispel the sinking feeling that what you might be up to by entering this binding legal arrangement might not be very much at all.


There are easy expressions to lob in which can make a simple sentence longer: [[from time to time]]; [[as the case may be]]; there are more complicated parentheticals of theoretically endless length, which add nothing “([[for the avoidance of doubt]] ...)”; “([[including without limitation]] ...)”; “([[whether or not]] ...)”
There are easy expressions to lob in which can make a simple sentence longer: [[from time to time]]; [[as the case may be]]; there are more complicated parentheticals of theoretically endless length, which add nothing “([[for the avoidance of doubt]] ...)”; “([[including without limitation]] ...)”; “([[whether or not]] ...)” and grandiose flummeries one can interpose to make everyday verbs sound longer: “''take appropriate steps to'' identify”


There are more complicated [[disclaimer]]s and statements of the negative which can occupy pages at a time, stating in definitive terms what the parties are not agreeing to. The classic example of this is the [[legal opinion]], which is nothing ''but'' [[throat-clearing]]: a long and detailed limitation of its own liability which a [[law firm]] will charge you handsomely for preparing.
There are more complicated [[disclaimer]]s and statements of the negative which can occupy pages at a time, stating in definitive terms what the parties are not agreeing to. The classic example of this is the [[legal opinion]], which is nothing ''but'' [[throat-clearing]]: a long and detailed limitation of its own liability which a [[law firm]] will charge you handsomely for preparing.

Revision as of 11:22, 29 November 2021

Towards more picturesque speech
SEC guidance on plain EnglishIndex: Click to expand:
Tell me more
Sign up for our newsletter — or just get in touch: for ½ a weekly 🍺 you get to consult JC. Ask about it here.

Much of the text that comprises a modern financial services contract amounts to textual throat-clearing: filler to create heft and dispel the sinking feeling that what you might be up to by entering this binding legal arrangement might not be very much at all.

There are easy expressions to lob in which can make a simple sentence longer: from time to time; as the case may be; there are more complicated parentheticals of theoretically endless length, which add nothing “(for the avoidance of doubt ...)”; “(including without limitation ...)”; “(whether or not ...)” and grandiose flummeries one can interpose to make everyday verbs sound longer: “take appropriate steps to identify”

There are more complicated disclaimers and statements of the negative which can occupy pages at a time, stating in definitive terms what the parties are not agreeing to. The classic example of this is the legal opinion, which is nothing but throat-clearing: a long and detailed limitation of its own liability which a law firm will charge you handsomely for preparing.

See also