General Question

rmoses1's avatar

Explain English sentence?

Asked by rmoses1 (52 points ) March 13th, 2012

Hi. I need to know the meaning of this sentence please.

“List field instrument spend and achievable or allocated part under this agreement, total all sites or by site, business line.”

It’s a part of a legal agreement.
Thanks. Reuven

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

13 Answers

JustPlainBarb's avatar

I think it might be difficult to explain that out of context like that…

You might need someone to read the entire document to be able to explain it fully.

Response moderated (Unhelpful)
marinelife's avatar

I would be afraid to do it out of context.

Response moderated (Unhelpful)
rmoses1's avatar

Here is the full paragraph. It’s about an agreement between 2 companies to supply process control devices. legal stuff.

List agreed targets and period, in absolute figures or in % related to actual or previous achievements. Total agreement all sites or alternative by site, business line etc.

wundayatta's avatar

This is fractured English. It is either written by a non-English speaker, or by a tech person who is very narrowly focused on whatever the subject area is.

The word “spend” must be a term of art in whatever field this is. List the field instruments (surveys? some other instrument?). Spend might be how many instruments you use, achievable is how many you potentially could use, and allocated must have something to do with relationships with other fields where the instruments are being used.

This is very specific and has to do with the business in question—what is being sold and how it is being sold and what the contractors responsibilities are with respect to the sales of the instrument, or sales facilitated by the instrument.

Basically it makes no sense and needs a lot of additional words to explain it. I would not sign a contract that is this vague and imprecise and poorly written. Make them clarify it. Better yet, write in your own clarification that is favorable to you.

marinelife's avatar

I have no idea what that means. As @wundayatta says, it was written by someone for whom English is a second language. It is not good English. I would ask for clarification from the author.

rmoses1's avatar

Thank you all for your time and efforts.

Zaku's avatar

What @wundayatta wrote.

Jeruba's avatar

I’ve heard “spend” used as jargon in business settings meaning “expenditure.”

To me the impenetrable portion of this excerpt is the use of the words “achievable or allocated part.” Part of what? It’s hard to see “achievable or allocated” as meaningful alternatives with respect to anything.

PhiNotPi's avatar

I actually think that it is a highly jargon-ized and abbreviated form of English. The person most likely knows English fluently, but has adopted a large amount of business slang and incorporated it into the contract. While he and the other members of the group understand it, its sounds like gibberish to outsiders. I would not sign it until I get a clarification that you find clear and concise.

whitenoise's avatar

I think you are looking at a place holder in a draft agreement and the person that made that draft intends to insert a list there.

On the list there will be specifics, such as targets (revenue) and spends (costs) per business line. Likely the list will also explain what percentage of these costs / revenues will be allocated to the business partners.

Likely, it may also be a mistake in the sense that they forgot to put in that list and left the placeholder.

Contact the one that drafted the contract for explanation.

whitenoise's avatar

For whatever contract you enter into, you have a right to fully understand it.

I draft contracts all of the time and every now and then I need to do a lot of explaining, especially when I was hurried or tired while setting up the text. I never mind to explain and adjust to have it understandable.

Don’t ever enter into contracts that you don’t understand. Remember that the reason we make up contracts in the first is to make sure everybody understands the rules of the game.

Answer this question




to answer.


Your answer will be saved while you login or join.

Have a question? Ask Fluther!

What do you know more about?
Knowledge Networking @ Fluther