Sign up for our free newsletter.
We’ve heard a lot lately about coequal branches of government, but what exactly does that word mean? Is it even a word?
Well, yes, it is a word. My Webster’s dictionary defines coequal as “equal with one another.” Dictionary.com goes a bit further to same effect: “equal with another or each other in rank, ability, extent, etc.” The bottom line is that “coequal” means “equal.”
Despite this word having been around since the late 14th century, it does not appear in the Constitution.
No, despite what you may have seen, “coequal” is not a hyphenated word.
We use the prefix “co-“ a lot to describe relative status, such as when we talk about our coworkers. This prefix can mean a thing is subordinate to the other, that things are together, or — wait for it — that the things are equal. If the word after this prefix is “equal” and equality is what we are trying to stress, the prefix appears superfluous.
If you want to sound pretentious and show you can use fancy words, go for it. But if your goal is to communicate plainly without triggering the reader’s or listener’s ire, stick with “equal.”
Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com
Get really good ideas every day for your law practice: Subscribe to the Daily Dispatch (it’s free). Follow us on Twitter @attnyatwork.
Theda “Teddy” Snyder mediates civil disputes, workplace injury and workers compensation cases throughout California. Teddy has practiced in a variety of settings and frequently speaks and writes about settlements and the business of law. She was a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and is the author of four ABA books, including “Women Rainmakers’ Best Marketing Tips, 3rd Edition” as well as “Personal Injury Case Evaluation” available on Amazon.com. Based in Los Angeles, Teddy can be found at WCMediator.com and on Twitter @WCMediator.
More Posts By This Author
Parties frequently use terms incorrectly, and that leads to miscommunication.
March 4, 2019 0 0 0
