Do doublets such as “null and void” and “due and payable” have distinctive meanings?
The short answer is no. Using both words is an unnecessary lawyerism since both words mean exactly the same thing.
The doublets came into being in England in the 11th century following the Norman conquest. Since the Normans spoke French, English courts were held in French, but most people in England still spoke English, so lawyers started using both the English and French words in order to be understood. Many of the doublets such as those above are still commonly used in legal drafting, but the fact is that they are redundant, and in these days of plain English in the legal world, it is preferable to use one word rather than two. It’s all King Harold’s fault really…
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Dear Sir ir Madame,
I would like to find out if ‘stock’ is an American equivalent of the British term ‘share’ or they have any principal distinctions.
Thank you in advance,
Anton.
Anton, you’ll find an an answer here: http://www.translegal.com/great-divide/stock-vs-share