To "understand" means to "stand under"

[Piper]

When I found out that when you are asked in Court if you "understand", you are really being asked if you "stand under" the Court's Authority, I felt that it was a deception, a 'tacky' thing for Courts to do.

I've tried to research where this procedure comes from, but I'm not getting anywhere.

The best I can come up with, is the Babylon free on-line dictionary that gives the following results:-


Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Understand
(v. t.)
To stand under; to support.




hEnglish - advanced version

understand

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
understand
\un`der*stand"\, v. i.
1. to have the use of the intellectual faculties; to be an intelligent being. imparadised in you, in whom alone i understand, and grow, and see.
2. to be informed; to have or receive knowledge. i came to jerusalem, and understood of the evil that eliashib did for tobiah. xiii. 7.
understand
\un`der*stand"\ (ŭn`d&etilde;r*stănd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. understood (?), and archaic understanded; p. pr. & vb. n. understanding.] [oe. understanden, as. understandan, literally, to stand under; cf. as. forstandan to understand, g. verstehen. the development of sense is not clear. see under, and stand.] 1. to have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning {note- I've abridged the rest - Piper}

5. to stand under; to support. [jocose & r.]


Perhaps someone who is into words can do something more with this.

If anyone knows about, or has documentary evidence that authorises Courts to pull this stunt, please submit it.

Best Regards -

[poltava]

hi,

I am afraid this is just another one of those ‘urban myths’ that were started in USA some decades ago and has now made it over here.

They are in the same class as ‘berth’ and ‘birth’ having some connection (built on the delusion that we somehow are operating under Admiralty Law), or that the ‘dock’ in the courtroom is equal to the ‘dock’ for a ship (more Maritime Law nonsense).

What would you say if the judge asked “Do you comprehend?” Which of course is the same thing.

To test the theory of ‘stand-under’ you would need to prove that the Welsh word for understand ALSO means stand-under as Wales and England have the same laws and Welsh is an official language and can therefore be used in courts in Wales.

But as I think you have found yourself, no dictionary will agree with the definition often quoted on this forum.

poltava

[kazz67]

There are already a number of threads on this particular topic, still, I don't suppose it'll do any harm to go over it again.
I looked up the word in Blacks 4th edition some time ago, though it should be noted that Blacks isn't commonly used in Britain (I believe Archbolds is more apropriate for here).
Anyway, the definition given was that by agreeing to 'understand' what an officer has just said to you, you are agreeing to be bound by the statues or legislation to which s/he is refering.

So, whether it means 'stand under' their authority, or 'agreeing to be bound by legislation', the answer is still a very firm 'NO, IMO'.

Peace, love, unity.
Kazz. xxx

[setup]

5. to stand under; to support. [jocose & r.]

jo·cose (j-ks)
adj.
1. Given to joking; merry.
2. Characterized by joking; humorous.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jocose

Meaning its a piss take

JB

[setup]

There are already a number of threads on this particular topic, still, I don't suppose it'll do any harm to go over it again.

If the admin decided to sticky one we wouldnt have to.
JB

[zenspiderz]

Well i see no harm when asked 'do you understand?' of replying 'I do comprehend'. If 'understand' isn't some sneaky legalese way of assuming a contract to submit then they can't complain if i reply 'I comprehend'.

[king-william]

hi,

I am afraid this is just another one of those ‘urban myths’ that were started in USA some decades ago and has now made it over here.

They are in the same class as ‘berth’ and ‘birth’ having some connection (built on the delusion that we somehow are operating under Admiralty Law), or that the ‘dock’ in the courtroom is equal to the ‘dock’ for a ship (more Maritime Law nonsense).

What would you say if the judge asked “Do you comprehend?” Which of course is the same thing.

To test the theory of ‘stand-under’ you would need to prove that the Welsh word for understand ALSO means stand-under as Wales and England have the same laws and Welsh is an official language and can therefore be used in courts in Wales.

But as I think you have found yourself, no dictionary will agree with the definition often quoted on this forum.

poltava

comprehend is in the genera of apprehend......................defintition for understand=stand under ...spot on..........does dictionary say that ....maybe not straight of .......but it is fact.........understand means to agree.......and any agreement is a contract........you stand under a contract......................comprehend and understand the same, i know a dictionary doesnt say that.......they are similar......similar enough to throw a fool off

[poltava]

...more dead sheep...

If you want a debate then write better. I don't read your posts because they are badly written.

Sorry.

poltava

[emmanualgoldstein]

A good compromise could be reached by doing as zenspieder suggests:

PTB: Do you understand?
Victim: I do not understand, but I comprehend.

The PTB cant then hnestly say that you agreed to stand under them, but then if they were honest we wouldnt all be here eh?

[poltava]

A good compromise could be reached by doing as zenspieder suggests:

PTB: Do you understand?
Victim: I do not understand, but I comprehend.

The PTB cant then hnestly say that you agreed to stand under them, but then if they were honest we wouldnt all be here eh?

...and they would be 100% happy with your answer as they have no strange interpretations of 'understand' in mind. They are perfectly happy with 'comprehend'.

poltava