Legal Writing

And Also

By Maeve Maddox

Brian Shone writes:

I work for the NHS and I attend many meetings during the week, a common term used throughout each meeting is ?and also? this I believe is incorrect. This term is also used in my Catholic Church liturgy; The Lord be with you, and also with you. Should we be using two words together that mean the same?

Although the addition of ?also? after ?and? is often verbose, the two words do not mean quite the same thing.

And is a conjunction. It joins words, phrases and clauses.

Also is an adverb meaning ?in the same manner, in addition, as well.? It?s useful when some sort of contrast is wanted.

Compare the following pairs:

This new policy is intended to stop pilfering and save money.
This new policy is intended to stop pilfering and also save money.

Remodeling will improve safety and attract new customers.
Remodeling will improve safety and also attract new customers.

In the first pair, the two ideas–stopping pilfering and saving money–are so closely related that the and is sufficient.

In the second pair, the connection between the two ideas–improving safety and attracting new customers–is not perhaps as obvious, so the also has a purpose.

The line from the Catholic liturgy quoted above is the ICEL (International Commission on English in the Liturgy) rendering of Latin Dominus vobiscum, et cum spiritu tuo, literally, ?The Lord be with you, and with your spirit.? This particular translation happens to be one of many that have come under fire by critics of an English rendering of the Catholic Missal made in the Sixties. When the dust settles, the line will probably be amended to ?and with your spirit.?

The speakers in the business meetings who throw in also after and may feel that the extra word adds weight to whatever it is they are saying. Generally speaking, ?also? is redundant following ?and.?

Full post as published by Daily Writing Tips on January 26, 2010 (boomark / email).