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The problem with "and/or" is that it's imprecise, and is used
sloppily and in different ways by different people. The three common
meanings are "A and B, but _maybe not_ both", "A or B, but also maybe
_both_", and "A, B, or both". See the problem?
In formal writing, it's a term you should avoid because it's not
always clear which of these three meanings is intended. Instead, be
specific if clarity is important: use "and" when you mean that both
options are likely, "or" when you mean that only one options is
likely, and "A, B, or both" when you want to emphasize that there are
three possibilities.
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-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
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