Unless and until: Difference between revisions

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At the point in time at which X happens, then X must have happened. [[Q.E.D.]]
At the point in time at which X happens, then X must have happened. [[Q.E.D.]]


To put it in a way which Lenny Kravitz<ref>The learned author of the celebrated monograph “''It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over''”.</ref> might recognize:
To put it in a way which noted legal commentator Professor Leonard Kravitz<ref>Learned author of the celebrated monograph “''It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over''”.</ref> might recognise:


“''It ain’t happened ’til it’s happened.''”
“''It ain’t happened ’til it’s happened.''”

Revision as of 10:06, 6 January 2017

A cretinous expression that means simply “until”, because “until” implies “unless”. Inevitably couched as a double negative, you may see, from the nib of a fastidious wordsmith:

Party A shall not be obligated to do any such thing unless and until state of affairs X shall have occurred.”

  • Until X” means “at any time up to the point at which X happens”.
  • Unless X” means “except if X has happened”.

At the point in time at which X happens, then X must have happened. Q.E.D.

To put it in a way which noted legal commentator Professor Leonard Kravitz[1] might recognise:

It ain’t happened ’til it’s happened.

But don’t let that stream of irresistible logic stop you flannelling away to your heart’s content.

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  1. Learned author of the celebrated monograph “It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over”.