It’s not only transactional types who are interested in contract language. If you want to see how a different online ecosystem approaches the subject, I suggest you have a look at this post on Language Log and the related comments.
I like to think that I stand somewhere between the linguists and the lawyers. It’s good to have both perspectives.
By the way, check out this comment by Anon. It offers that trusty rationalization for mainstream contract language—”Sure this language looks bizarre, but it works!” If I thought that were the case, I wouldn’t have started this blog.
