Avoid legalisms (unless you’re actually writing a contract)

Avoid legalisms (unless you’re actually writing a contract)

Lawyers use some precise terms that sometimes look clunky in actual writing. If you don’t want to sound like a lawyer, don’t write like you’re writing a contract. Here are some legalisms to avoid. And/or Logicians (and ordinary humans) know that “or” doesn’t exclude the possibility of “and.” Examples from actual text I’m editing. (s)…