C2 · Lesson 312 · Translating, mediating & precision (C2)

Ambiguity in contracts & law

Spot and avoid ambiguity in legal Dutch: exhaustive lists, and/or, modifier scope, and how Dutch courts interpret contracts.

Grammar

Closing the gaps: scope words in legal Dutch

Exhaustive or not? te weten introduces a complete list (a limitatieve opsomming); onder meer, waaronder and bijvoorbeeld introduce examples only, so other items may also count.
And or or? Cumulatieve conditions must all be met (en); alternatieve conditions need only one (of, dan wel). Drafting guides discourage the vague en/of.
Modifier scope: in oude auto's en motoren, are the motorbikes old too? Remove the doubt: oude auto's en oude motoren, or motoren en oude auto's.
Legal Dutch loves the extended pre-noun phrase: de voor de consument gunstigste uitleg = the interpretation most favourable to the consumer. In consumer terms and conditions, that interpretation prevails bij twijfel.
Dutch courts do not read a contract purely naar de letter: under the Haviltex standard (Hoge Raad, 1981) what counts is what the parties could reasonably expect of each other, against the background of redelijkheid en billijkheid.

wording	effect
te weten: A, B en C	only A, B and C (exhaustive)
onder meer A, B en C	A, B, C and possibly more
cumulatief: A en B	both required
A dan wel B	either is enough
oude auto's en motoren	ambiguous: are the motorbikes old?

Vocabulary