until的法律意义Hi,Couldanyoneconfirmthemeaningofuntilinafinancialdocument?specificallyEarlyrepaymentchargesapplytotheloanuntil31/10/2008Dotheyapplyon31/10/2008asthedictionarydefinitioninthiscontextappearstobebeforeinwhichcasemyunderstandingwouldbetheydonotapplyon31/10/2008.ThanksYaryl================Hi,yary,thanksforjoiningus.WelcometoEnglishForums.Inthiscontext,itmeansaspecialruleappliesfromthebeginningofthedeal,andcontinuestoapplyupthroughthespecifieddate.Afterthatdate,therulenolongerapplies.Theruleisthatifyoudecidetopaytheloanoffearlierthanoriginallyplanned,there’sanextracharge.It’slikeanearlyterminationofcontractchargeonyourcellphone.Ifyou’reaskingwhetheryouhavetopaythespecialchargeifyoupaytheloanoffexactlyon31/10/2008,that’sagreyarea.（Thatwouldbekindacold.）Readthefineprint.Forexample,ifIdon’tpaymycarinsurancepremiumby12:01AMonthedayit’sdue,Ihavenoinsurance.Theydon’tgivemealldaytopay.Youmightfindwordingsuchasuptoandincluding31/10/2008.Bestwishes,-A.================HiAvangi,Thanksfortheresponse.Isearchedhighandlowthroughoutthedocumentationandtheonlyreferencetoatimeperiodisuntil31/10/08Althoughadayhereortheremaynotmatterinthesecircumstancesthereisamaterialeffect.Iftheloancanbepaidoffwithoutpenaltyon31/10/08thereisnoadditionalcostbutifitispaidoffon01/11/08therearechargesforanothercompletemonth.Thereforetheprecisedefinition（legal）ofthetermuntilbecomesimportanttotheoperationoftheloan.Ithought,particularly,infinancialcontracts,clearlanguagewasaprettybasicrequirementyetIappeartohaveencounteredacommonlyusedtermthatmayhaveameaningopentointerpretation.HoweverIwouldhavethoughtanyinterpretationwouldbeguidedbydictionarydefinitionoratleastthecommonunderstandingoftheusewithintheEnglishlanguageandit’sherethatmyunderstandingisuntilmeansbeforeAnyfurtherthoughtandviewswelcome,particularlyfromanyonewithalegalbackground!ThanksYaryl.================Sorryaboutthat.Ifwegobythedictionarydefinition,whenthecalendarshiftsfrom30to31（thestrokeofmidnight）youmayexecuteyourearlyrepaymentwithoutfearofbeingchargedthepenaltyfee.ButOctober31beingthelastdayofthemonth,you’vegottawonderifthat’swhattheyreallymean.Andattorneysdon’trespectdictionaries.Theyrespectonlyprecedent.Onceajudgerulesonacase,thatwillbethelaw,untilsomeonetakestheissuetoahighercourtandwins.Thatis,ifalitigantcanquotecaselaw（apreviouscaseinwhichajudgeruledthattheclienthadtopaythepenaltyfeeonthe31st,orsomethingwiththesameprinciple）thejudgeisobligedtohonorthatpreviousdecision.Hisrulingmaythenbeappealedtoahighercourt.（Atleast,that’sthewayIunderstandit.Otheropinionsareencouraged.）Sometimeseventhedictionaryleavesyouscratchingyourhead.ThemoviewillbeblackedoutinBostonuntil31/10/2008.ThemoviecannotbeshowninBostonuntil31/10/2008.Thatis,theambiguitymayrestwiththeverb,notwiththepreposition.Sometimesthrough31/10/2008canclearitup.互联网
