The first thing we are going to do before entering fully into the meaning of the term illegible is to know its etymological origin. In this case, we have to emphasize that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly the result of the sum of several lexical components of said language:
-The prefix “in-”, which is synonymous with “no”.
-The verb “legere”, which can be translated as “read”.
-The suffix “-ible”, which is equivalent to “that can”.
What cannot be read is classified as illegible . This adjective allows you to describe a text that, for some reason that goes beyond the understanding of the language, cannot be understood .
For example: “The doctor's prescription is illegible, no one at the pharmacy could understand what he meant to write” , “The police found a letter at the crime scene, but it is illegible since the paper got wet and faded the ink” , “ The bettor did not receive his prize because the ticket he presented is illegible and the numbers cannot be verified .
Among the synonyms of the word in question, we can highlight some such as “incomprehensible”, unintelligible or indecipherable, for example. On the contrary, its antonyms include terms such as understandable, intelligible or decipherable, among others.
A certain text can become illegible for multiple reasons. The most common is the poor clarity of the handwriting . Whoever reads, in this framework, cannot discern the letters since they are poorly written, with confusing lines.
A document can also become illegible due to some type of damage to its material support (paper, cardboard, etc.). If a glass of wine is spilled on the page of a book, the contents may become illegible due to the effects of the liquid on the ink and paper .
Something becoming illegible can be a major problem. Suppose a man drafts and signs his will , detailing how he wants his estate to be distributed once he is dead. When his death finally occurs, his lawyer goes to look for said will and finds that, as a result of the humidity of the place where it was kept, the text and the subject's signature became illegible: there is no way of knowing what the deceased wrote or to prove whether he is the true author of the will. That the document is illegible, therefore, represents a great inconvenience.
In graphology and in graphological studies specifically, the term in question is very important. And it is that if a text or a signature that has to be analyzed is illegible, it is considered that this indicates that the person who has done it has a lack of scruples, that he may hide a notable feeling of inferiority and even that he is someone who avoids commitments. as well as responsibilities. This without overlooking the fact that it can also make it clear that she tries to never show herself as she is to others.
On the contrary, when the handwriting is perfectly legible, it is determined that the person to whom it belongs is someone transparent, has a noble character, is sincere at all times and what he says is really what he thinks.