[Ads-l] Who Is Anyone?

[Baker, John]

Thanks for these replies.  As Jon suggests, there are implications to concluding that "anyone" includes companies.  As it happens, the difference is in thousands and not millions of dollars, but I still would rather get it right.

Contextual evidence, such as the use of "management person" as the term to be defined, suggests that only natural persons are intended.  It's better, though, to rely on the definition itself, if possible.  

The OED defines "anyone" as "Anybody, any person."  It defines "anybody" as "any person; any one."  Merriam-Webster Unabridged (the same as Webster's Third?) defines "anyone" as "any person indiscriminately:  anybody."  So the sense of "anyone" is "any person."

"Person" is defined by the OED as "An individual human being; a man, woman, or child," although it also includes the definition (under "Technical uses") of "An individual (natural person n.) or corporate body (artificial person) recognized by the law as having certain rights and duties."  Similarly, Merriam-Webster Unabridged defines it as "an individual human being"  but also includes the definition " a human being, a body of persons, or a corporation, partnership, or other legal entity that is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties — see juristic person."  Perhaps most significantly, Black's Law Dictionary (the leading U.S. legal dictionary) defines "person" as "A human being. — Also termed natural person."  

So I think I have some support for asserting that "anyone" ordinarily refers to natural persons and that, in the absence of special circumstances, we would not expect "anyone" to include companies.  But if there are dissenting views, I would appreciate hearing them.


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Dan Goncharoff
Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2015 6:05 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Who Is Anyone?

My take is that it needs to be a human being. I recognize this language defining a "Management Person". I do not think you can delegate management responsibilities to a corporate entity. (For example, "XYZ Corp." cannot be the CEO of a company.)

DanG

On Sat, Jul 18, 2015 at 10:02 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Who Is Anyone?
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------
>
> I'd just write in the company name and let the form-makers figure it out?
>
> Especially if there's no actual human being to be named. What else can 
> you do except give incomplete information?
>
> Of course, I'm not a lawyer, and the very fact of your asking suggests 
> possible complications and implications far beyond those of mortal men.
>
> JL
>
> On Fri, Jul 17, 2015 at 6:05 PM, Baker, John <JBAKER at stradley.com> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       "Baker, John" <JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM>
> > Subject:      Who Is Anyone?
> >
> >
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------
> >
> > Does "anyone" include a company?  I'm struggling with an instruction 
> > on a f= orm that defines a "management person" as "anyone with the 
> > power to exercis= e, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence 
> > over your firm's managem= ent or policies."  The form goes on to 
> > give examples, and all of the exampl= es involve natural persons 
> > (i.e., human beings).
> >
> > Now, if the form said "any person with the power . . ." it would
> certainly
> > =
> > include companies, because the form defines "person" to mean a 
> > natural pers=
> > on or a company.   Does the use of the word "anyone" instead narrow the
> > def=
> > inition so that I only need to worry about human beings with this power?
> >
> >
> > John Baker
> >
> >
> >
> >
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