Browsing All posts tagged under »legalese«
Recap: unlawful, illegal, illegitimate, illicit, immoral, unlicensed, criminal
WE HAVE REACHED THE END of our series on these legally related words: unlawful illegal illegitimate illicit immoral unlicensed criminal Let’s recap in a concise manner (boldfacings are principal meanings): Unlawful is something that is ‘against the law,’ specifically not according to law or not sanctioned by legal principles (to take unlawful advantage of the trading situation). […]
Know your words: Criminal
August 15, 2011
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CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. The word criminal is nearly always associated with the law, especially in regards to criminal offences and the proceedings and punishment for them. The word criminal dates from 1350-1400 and comes from the Middle English and 11th-century Anglo-French criminel, which is ultimately from the Late Latin criminalis (‘pertaining to crime’) from the […]
Know your words: Unlicensed
August 14, 2011
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OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS, we have covered the words unlawful, illegal, illegitimate, illicit and immoral. Today, we have a look at the word unlicensed. * * * unlicensed (adj), unlicenced Both spellings (from 1600-10) are correct — be consistent and use one or the other, not both. The principal meaning of this adjective (from 1634) is: […]
Know your words: Immoral
August 13, 2011
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[Updated 13 Aug 2011: amended for spelling and formatting errors] SO FAR, we have done the words unlawful, illegal, illegitimate and illicit in their own posts. Today, we try our hand at the word immoral and its related forms. * * * immoral, immorally, immorality, immoralness These words date from 1650-60 and they simply mean violating moral principles. […]
Know your words: Illicit
August 12, 2011
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Previously, we covered the words unlawful, illegal and illegitimate. Today, we’ll have a look at the word illicit and its related forms. * * * illicit (adj), illicitly (adv), illicitness (n), illicitous (adj) These words date from 1645-55, from the Latin illicitus (implied in illicitous, 1611). The general meaning of all of these words is simply contrary or not in line with accepted morality or […]
Know your words: Illegitimate
August 11, 2011
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PREVIOUSLY, we covered the words unlawful and illegal. Today, we’ll look at the word illegitimate and its related forms. * * * illegitimate, illegitimately, illegitimateness, illegitimation, illegitimacy Warning: Be advised that all of these words now carry risk of defamation and therefore come under potentially actionable language (i.e. words that can get you sued). ALL […]
Know your words: Illegal
August 10, 2011
Previously, we have looked into the word of unlawful. Today, our focus will be on the word illegal and its related forms. * * * illegal, illegally, illegality, illegalness All these words basically mean something that is forbidden by law or statute. In other words, ‘against the law.’ The word illegal comes from the Mediaeval Latin […]
Know your words: Unlawful
August 9, 2011
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HOW MANY TIMES have you seen or heard these words being used? unlawful illegal illegitimate illicit immoral unlicensed criminal Do you know their meanings, or the nuances (subtle differences in meaning) they impart? At the most basic level, all of these words describe one thing: not in accord with law. Such is the sad state […]
August 16, 2011
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