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A
signature (from Latin signare, "sign") is a
handwritten (and sometimes stylized) depiction of someone's
name (or some other identifying mark) that a person writes
on documents as a proof of identity and will. It acts
as a seal. The writer of a signature is a signatory. A
signature is that, what gives an object or piece of information
it’s identity. Example: the voice of Elvis on one
of his records, a signature on a contract or the shape
of a classical Coca-Cola bottle. The traditional function
of a signature is evidential: it is to give evidence of
(a) the provenance of the document (identity); and (b)
the intention (will) of an individual with regard to that
document. For example, the role of a signature in many
consumer contracts is not to provide evidence of the identity
of the contracting party, but rather to provide evidence
of deliberation and informed consent. |
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Signatures
may be witnessed and recorded in the presence of a Notary
Public to carry additional legal force. On legal documents,
an illiterate signatory can make a "mark" (often
an "X" but occasionally a personalized symbol),
so long as the document is countersigned by a literate
witness. There are many other terms which are synonymous
with 'signature'. One is John Hancock, named after the
first of the signers of the United States Declaration
of Independence. The signature of a famous person is sometimes
known as an autograph, and is then typically written on
its own or with a brief note to the recipient. Rather
than providing authentication for a document, the autograph
is given as a souvenir which acknowledges the recipient's
access to the autographer. |
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