Learn English – What does the / mean

meaningslash

Looking at forms in financial risk assessment, there is a question 'I'm happy investing a large proportion of my income / capital in a high-risk investment'. Is the '/' here being used as shorthand for '… proportion of either my income or my capital'; does it mean 'either / or' and is there a way to express it without using a '/'? Main concern is whether the / is open to interpretation.

Best Answer

Slash

  • The slash ( / ), also known as the virgule, has several uses, most of which should be avoided in formal writing.

Meaning and

  • The slash sometimes serves as shorthand for and, as in:

    • He is enrolling in the JD/MBA program at Harvard.

Meaning or

  • The slash sometimes serves as shorthand for or, as in:

    • Each guest must present his/her ticket prior to entry.

    • Once the new president is elected, he/she will have little time to waste.

    • The deficit reduction will be achieved by spending cuts and/or tax increases.

(www.thepunctuationguide.com)

  • In the sentence you are showing I think it is used to mean and/or.
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