@David L). I don`t do it myself, but it`s easier than explaining intentional redundancy, given the ease of transposing numbers when writing elongated numbers this way (i.e. if the two versions don`t match, you know there`s a problem and can ask for clarification). And you can`t say by re-reading that 1,372 is a typo for 1,327 unless you know the context so well that you can say that 1,372 doesn`t make sense. This is probably not justified by cost in most contexts (except in those that are extremely risk-averse, what many authors of such papers are), but it`s not as if there isn`t a non-opaque functional explanation. Note that for court documents with specific page or word counting restrictions (which is a lot of what I do), there is more pressure to remove redundancy, thus abandoning the mysterious inherited chatter aimed at appeasing the dark cosmic forces, but in many other types of legal documents, There is no such incentive for brevity. Phew, I thought I was really stupid! I`m almost done law school and I still don`t know what SS means. Anyone checking with Blackstone? I really believe that the word ss. Originally, it was not intended to write the name of the county, but only a designation for each section or paragraph of the document. No, you need to read a little more David. Read the article. (These are U.S.
legal documents containing a meaningless SS. included in the title.) While each notarial document must contain a notarial deed, each notarial deed usually contains certain elements; The notary will identify and understand the type of data or information to be inserted in this part of the document. A very common element that a notary can see on the notarial deed is the letters “ss”, which usually appear in the upper left corner of the document or notarial deed. This is the scope of the certificate that contains the location. The place is the part of the notarized document that indicates the place – the physical place – where notarization takes place: the place where the signatory and the notary are physically located at the time of notarization. What do these letters mean? Since Social Security numbers are a common identifier in our society, many voters and perhaps notaries believe that the letters ask for the client`s Social Security number. It`s not true. The letters “ss” instead of the place of the notary`s certificate actually represent the Latin word scilicet, which means in particular as much as “knowledge” or “to know”.
The idea has to do with granting a legal permission or license; Its importance in terms of jurisdiction and notarial certification is currently considered archaic and opaque. Although the letters “ss” may appear on the notarial deed, they are in no way necessary and may be omitted on certain notarial acts that a notary may encounter. A notary must be diligent in inserting the state and county for the place upon request, but it is not necessary to add the letters “ss” to the notarial deed if they have been omitted. Certification is also valid without it. and that it started with the meaning of the article. Bryan Garner quoted the LCJ, Lord Hardwicke on “Jodderrell v. Cowell”, at King`s Bench in 1737. This doesn`t help much, because although everyone copied it, including his “sic” in County, a) he misspelled Jodderell, and b) Hardwicke`s speech or written opinion does not appear: neither on the page he cites (222, perhaps from the previous edition?) nor elsewhere I have access (the case itself is here, at p.
343). Thank you, Mr Garner, for wasting my time. But anyway, what Hardwicke said in 1737 (somewhere) is that you protest too much. If it is “not a theory”, how come there is so much confusion and so many other theories? His statement “means `affidavit`” does not make it that way. I agree with MM (which I don`t think it`s condescending at all) that it sounds convincing, but it`s not as obvious as you suggest. Here`s an example of a place we found in a state`s online notary manual: FORM OF RECOGNITION FOR A PERSON: State _____ County ___ SS. (City / City) In this usage, the scilicet (remember, it means “to know” or “especially”) indicates that the notary must further specify the place by including the name of the city after the name of the county. Many documents, especially those created by banks and similar institutions, bear the symbol “S.S.” next to the information spaces on the place (State of ___, County of ___). An astonishing number of notaries do not know the meaning of the “SS” symbol or mistakenly believe that it is a request for a social security number! Many possible etymologies have been suggested for this mysterious abbreviation.
The first is that it means scillicet (= namely, to say), which is usually abbreviated sc. or scil. Another is that ss. “the two gold letters at the ends of the desk chain or necklace” worn by the Lord Chief Justice of the King`s Bench. Max Radin, Law Dictionary 327 (1955). Melinkoff suggests that the exact etymology is unknown: “Avocados have been using ss for nine hundred years and are still unsure what it means.” David Melinkoff, The Language of Law 296 (1963). In fact, however, this is a frills derived from directories – an equivalent of the sales mark: “¶”. Hence Lord Hardwicke`s statement that ss.
is nothing more than a sign of division. See Jodderrell v. Cowell, 95 eng. rep. 222.222 (K.B. 1737). One of the first authors of formwork incorporated it into its forms, and since then it has been thoughtlessly immortalized by one generation after another. Bryan A. Garner, Garner`s Dictionary of Legal Usage 839 (3rd edition 2011). No one wants to be the one to find out what cosmic catastrophe will befall the lawyer who is presumptuous enough to leave him out. But I must protest against the fact that I am called Sir. @Shelley: I didn`t pretend to be a linguist.
I never studied linguistics, much to my regret. I linked to this thread and read it before publishing it because someone else had mentioned it on a mailing list. Regardless, I`m sure the link was easy to miss and the way I jumped on you didn`t do anyone much good. @Mark: I don`t think I used the term “theory,” but I`m not 100% convinced. It may be impossible to say this without sounding condescending. @hat: Thank you very much for the explanation.