RE: and/or? Defined

["Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>]

I found an online definition of "and/or" and, to me, it seems to do more to
emphasize the ambiguity of the term, rather than to justify its use.

I don't know if this link will work for everyone because I searched from my
firefox plug-in.  Other searches of "and/or" yield "and."

http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?and/or

============
Main Entry: and/or
Pronunciation: 'and-'or
Function: conjunction
-- used as a function word to indicate that two words or expressions are to
be taken together or individually <language comprehension and/or production
-- David Crystal>
============

According to the M-W definition, the conjunction indicates that two
expressions "are to be taken together or individually."  How is that not
vague?  "Together or individually"?  Shouldn't the writer know before
writing if two things are both required or if only one is required?  A good
writer *will* know which case is true before writing or will properly
indicate that the subject matter is vague.  A good writer will not leave the
reader to decide which case is true.

Lauren
 

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