Hate reading contracts? MIT study explains the real reason legal documents are so hard to understand

New research from a team of cognitive scientists at MIT suggests that the confusing nature of legalese may serve a very specific purpose.

Legalese has been frustrating and intimidating anyone not in possession of a law degree since time immemorial. Marked by a cosmic gumbo of antiquated language, mind-numbing repetition, and dense blocks of clauses incepted into the middle of sentences, it’s a style of writing that shows up in almost no place other than the fine print. But why is the language in legal documents so consistently indigestible that many of us never fully read our own contracts? A new study from a team of cognitive scientists at MIT suggests that the confusing nature of legalese may serve a very specific purpose.