82,891
edits
May: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
Amwelladmin (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Amwelladmin (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
“Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing ''[which is about something else altogether]'', and [[for the avoidance of doubt]], Party B ''may'' telephone his elderly aunt at any time without limitation” is ''not'' a good use of “may”, or the trees on which such a pointless sentence may, [[for the time being]] and [[from time to time]], be printed. | “Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing ''[which is about something else altogether]'', and [[for the avoidance of doubt]], Party B ''may'' telephone his elderly aunt at any time without limitation” is ''not'' a good use of “may”, or the trees on which such a pointless sentence may, [[for the time being]] and [[from time to time]], be printed. | ||
===“[[Shall be entitled to]]”=== | ===“[[Shall be entitled to]]”=== | ||
[[Shall be entitled to]] means “may” — | “[[Shall be entitled to]]” means, exactly, “may” — they are exact synonyms — but it is so much ''worse'' a piece of legal psychology. How so? | ||
It is so [[in your face]]. Firstly it uses that equivocal staple of fusty compulsion, “[[shall]]” — whereas, whether the construction is needed or not, there is no compulsion. Then it talks about ''entitlement''. Perhaps this is just me, but this has the air about it not of the gentle citizen equably and quietly enjoying her rights in a way [[calculated]] to offend no-one. Rather it is the wilfully aggravating disposition of bloody-minded troll, marching up and down her boundary, broadcasting Billy Ray Cyrus LPs to the neighborhood and brazenly waving a Confederate flag where she knows her unionist neighbour can not help but see it. | It is so [[in your face]]. Firstly it uses that equivocal staple of fusty compulsion, “[[shall]]” — whereas, whether the construction is needed or not, there is no compulsion. Then it talks about ''entitlement''. Perhaps this is just me, but this has the air about it not of the gentle citizen equably and quietly enjoying her rights in a way [[calculated]] to offend no-one. Rather it is the wilfully aggravating disposition of bloody-minded troll, marching up and down her boundary, broadcasting Billy Ray Cyrus LPs to the neighborhood and brazenly waving a Confederate flag where she knows her unionist neighbour can not help but see it. | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
*[[option]] | *[[option]] | ||
{{ | {{c|psychology}} | ||