word games. Are there shades of meaning between "lawful" and

[alfredo]

"legal"

Main Entry: law·ful
Pronunciation: 'lo-f&l
Function: adjective
1 a : being in harmony with the law <a lawful judgment> b : constituted, authorized, or established by law : RIGHTFUL <lawful institutions>
2 : LAW-ABIDING <lawful citizens>
- law·ful·ly /-f(&-)lE/ adverb
- law·ful·ness /-f&l-n&s/ noun
synonyms LAWFUL, LEGAL, LEGITIMATE, LICIT mean being in accordance with law. LAWFUL may apply to conformity with law of any sort (as natural, divine, common, or canon) <the lawful sovereign>. LEGAL applies to what is sanctioned by law or in conformity with the law, especially as it is written or administered by the courts <legal residents of the state>. LEGITIMATE may apply to a legal right or status but also, in extended use, to a right or status supported by tradition, custom, or accepted standards <a perfectly legitimate question about finances>. LICIT applies to a strict conformity to the provisions of the law and applies especially to what is regulated by law <the licit use of the drug by hospitals>.


Main Entry: 1le·gal
Pronunciation: 'lE-g&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle French, from Latin legalis, from leg-, lex law
1 : of or relating to law
2 a : deriving authority from or founded on law : DE JURE b : having a formal status derived from law often without a basis in actual fact : TITULAR <a corporation is a legal but not a real person> c : established by law; especially : STATUTORY
3 : conforming to or permitted by law or established rules
4 : recognized or made effective by a court of law as distinguished from a court of equity
5 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the profession of law or of one of its members
6 : created by the constructions of the law <a legal fiction>
synonym see LAWFUL


discuss among yourself.

[noamnety]

1. lawful does seem to have a "truthiness" factor (nt)

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. Good call. Lawful="natural, divine, common, or canon" vs. legal, which

is, among other definitions, "recognized or made effective by a court of law".

Good call. K & R. MKJ

[alfredo]

5. I thought it was odd that they all were using "lawful."

Just how are the defining "lawful"?


tks for the recommendment.

[C_U_L8R]

3. are you sure they're not saying

l'awful

republican french for awful

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

9. LMAO...l'awful..BWAHAHA!

:rofl: MKJ

[BlooInBloo]

4. Question is ambiguous: in layman English, or in legalese?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

6. In Webster's Dictionary. n/t

MKJ

[alfredo]

8. We need to find out what they mean. Are they using that term instead

of "legal" so they can come back and testify that they never said their actions were legal.

[rzemanfl]

7. Is this another case of * saying something to his fundie base

the rest of us don't understand? (e.g., "it's not legal, but it's God's will?")