ABSTRACT
Thelawincludesmanydifferentactivities,fromthedrawingupof statutestothecontractingofagreementsbetweenindividuals,allof whichneedtoberecordedinawrittenform.Inspiteoftheirdiversity, itisperhapsnottoofarfromthetruthtosaythateachofthese activitiesisinsomewayconnectedwiththeimpositionofobligations andtheconferringofrights.Andfromtimetotime,ofcourse,someoneorotherissuretobecomemorbidlycuriousabouthisobligations, andevenscrutinisethemcloselytoseeiftheymaypossiblybe wriggledoutof!Similarly,rightsoccasionallycomeinforthekind ofexaminationthathasasitsmainaimstretchingthemtoacredible limitand,ifpossible,evenfurther.Consequently,whoevercomposes alegaldocumentmusttakethegreatestpainstoensurethatitsays exactlywhathewantsittosayandatthesametimegivesnoopportunitiesformisinterpretation.Theword'say'isimportantinthis context,becausewhenadocumentisunderscrutinyinacourtof law,attentionwillbepaidonlytowhat,asapieceofnaturallanguage, itappearsactuallytodeclare:anyintentionsofthecomposerwhich failtoemergeclearlyarenotusuallyconsideredinarrivingatwhat thedocumentmeans,1andifthecomposerhappenstohaveused languagewhichcanbetakentomeansomethingotherthanhe intended,hehasfailedinhisjob.
