Internet
ianal
What does ianal mean?
Stands for "I am not a lawyer," a disclaimer before offering legal-sounding opinions online.
"IANAL, but you should probably get that in writing."
Origin
A Usenet and forum disclaimer abbreviation.
Frequently asked questions
What does IANAL stand for?
It stands for "I am not a lawyer," flagging that any legal comment that follows is just an opinion, not professional advice.
Why do people write IANAL?
To share a legal-sounding take while making clear they're not qualified, covering themselves before they weigh in.
Where did IANAL come from?
It goes back to Usenet and early web forums, where people commonly discussed legal questions.
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