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oral against verbal
2

oral against verbal

oral against verbal

(OP)
When a spoken agreement is not written down, nor is it of the nod-and-wink variety, is it oral, verbal or both ? Thanks for any clarification.

RE: oral against verbal

From Dictionary.com

ver·bal
adj.
Of, relating to, or associated with words: a detailed verbal description.

Concerned with words only rather than with content or ideas: a merely verbal distinction.
Consisting of words alone without action: a verbal confrontation.
Expressed in spoken rather than written words; oral: a verbal contract.
Corresponding word for word; literal: a verbal translation.
 
o·ral
adj.
Spoken rather than written. See Usage Note at verbal.
Of or relating to the mouth: oral surgery.
Used in or taken through the mouth: an oral thermometer; an oral vaccine.
Consisting of or using speech: oral instruction.


So, you could use either.  

RE: oral against verbal

Looks to me by those defintions that an oral agreement can only be spoken but a verbal agreement just needs words either spoken, written or otherwise conveyed.

RE: oral against verbal

I'm not a lawyer, but a spoken agreement is called an oral contract. As far as I know there is no legal definition of a verbal contract. But I'm not sure anyone would or can make a distinction between the two.

http://dictionary.law.com/

RE: oral against verbal

Ah, but instructions can come in many varieties, including oral, verbal (oral), verbal (written), and pictorial.

RE: oral against verbal

I do agree, though, that if you said "we had a verbal agreement," most people would understand that you meant an "oral agreement."  I don't think that calling it a verbal agreement is a precise description.

RE: oral against verbal

Oral is to do with the mouth and (in this context) must mean the spoken word.

Verbal is to do with words, and can therefore be spoken or written, although common usage seems to denote spoken.

Bill Clinton didn't have verbal     ..... no, let's not go there.

RE: oral against verbal


Is it more important that the instructions are spoken, or that they're heard?  Perhaps we should refer to aural instructions.

RE: oral against verbal

poetix99

Is it more important that the instructions are heard, or that they are understood?
Perhaps we should speak at a 3rd grade level.

Being an Engineering Forum, what we find funny about all of this comes from an education. If you tried this "on the street" you would most likely get a blank stare and a "Huh?"

"like, you know"..."what ever"

RE: oral against verbal

[b]Bill Clinton didn't have verbal     ..... no, let's not go there.[b]

...but Cheney did?

RE: oral against verbal

rerig,
I think I understand what I think you verbalized but I am not sure I know what you said.  Since I am hearing impaired, it is a good I did not try to auralize it.

Jesus is THE life,
Leonard

RE: oral against verbal

Yep, I had my tongue over my eye-tooth and couldn't see a thing I was saying.

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