Language for Motions

[YFaure]

Is it customary for the Chairperson to establish the acceptable form of language/wording used in making motions?

Example:

According to RRO, to end debate, one would say, "I move the previous question."

Would it be acceptable to say "I motion to end this discussion and call to vote already." ?

Also, there has been a great deal of pressure to follow RRO, so should the former be enforced?

[jstackpo]

As long as the meaning is abundantly clear it doesn't really matter how a "standard" motion is phrased. The words "call to" and "already" cloud the meaning of YFaure's quoted example.

"Shut up and vote" is a simpler, if less elegant, variation on "Previous question".

The chair's "enforcement" could be gentle and diplomatic, in that he/she could rephrase YFaure's statement for him/her, and check that he, the chair, had it right (RONR, p. 39, line 33 ff.) before stating it.

[Trina]

Is it customary for the Chairperson to establish the acceptable form of language/wording used in making motions?

Example:

According to RRO, to end debate, one would say, "I move the previous question."

Would it be acceptable to say "I motion to end this discussion and call to vote already." ?

Also, there has been a great deal of pressure to follow RRO, so should the former be enforced?

The chair could certainly point out that the member's motion is (apparently) a lengthier way to say, "I move the previous question." It is one of the chair's duties to help members clearly state their motions, if necessary. The chair should make certain, of course, that his/her restatement of the member's motion correctly reflects the member's intent (as Dr. Stackpole pointed out).

On the other hand, if the assembly goes ahead and votes on the member's motion as stated (two-thirds vote required) no rule has been broken, and the motion for the previous question would thereby be adopted, just as if it had been stated in its textbook form.

[Chris Harrison]

Generally speaking I think that the motions under RONR are pretty self-explanatory and so it probably isn't a good idea to put the motion into different words. However, there are a few motions that can leave one who isn't familiar with RONR scratching their head wondering what the heck that means (moving the Previous Question and Postpone Indefinitely come to mind). In those types of cases since RONR p. 456 says "The president should never be technical or more strict than is necessary for the good of the meeting" I wouldn't be too opposed to the Chair allowing nonstandard wording as long as it was clear that the wording accurately reflected what the motion does. Also, if the Chair while accepting the nonstandard wording was to note what the RONR approved motion is in this case (and directing the members to the correct page numbers in RONR) I wouldn't be opposed to that either (and I would be less opposed to that then to allowing the nonstandard wording without him educating the members ).

[George Mervosh]

And I always thought the authors put sample scripting in the book so we all could use the proper language, properly

[JohnR]

Would it be acceptable to say "I motion to end this discussion and call to vote already." ?

Not to a speaker of Standard English.