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=== Expressions of doubt === | === Expressions of doubt === | ||
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|<big>''Words to watch:'' '''... supposed, apparent, purported, alleged, accused, so-called ...'''</big> | |||
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Words such as ''supposed'', ''apparent'', ''alleged'' and ''purported'' can imply that a given point is inaccurate, although ''alleged'' and ''accused'' are appropriate when wrongdoing is asserted but undetermined, such as with people awaiting or undergoing a criminal trial; when these are used, ensure that the source of the accusation is clear. ''So-called'' can mean ''commonly named, falsely named'', or ''contentiously named'', and it can be difficult to tell these apart. Simply ''called'' is preferable for the first meaning; detailed and attributed explanations are preferable for the others. | Words such as ''supposed'', ''apparent'', ''alleged'' and ''purported'' can imply that a given point is inaccurate, although ''alleged'' and ''accused'' are appropriate when wrongdoing is asserted but undetermined, such as with people awaiting or undergoing a criminal trial; when these are used, ensure that the source of the accusation is clear. ''So-called'' can mean ''commonly named, falsely named'', or ''contentiously named'', and it can be difficult to tell these apart. Simply ''called'' is preferable for the first meaning; detailed and attributed explanations are preferable for the others. | ||
Punctuation can also be used for similar effects: quotation marks, when not marking an actual quote, may indicate that [[scare quotes|the writer is distancing herself or himself]] from the otherwise common interpretation of the quoted expression; the use of {{em|[[ | Punctuation can also be used for similar effects: quotation marks, when not marking an actual quote, may indicate that [[Wikipedia:scare quotes|the writer is distancing herself or himself]] from the otherwise common interpretation of the quoted expression; the use of {{em|[[UniWiki:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Emphasis|emphasis]]}} may turn an innocuous word into a loaded expression. Such occurrences should also be avoided. | ||
=== Editorializing === | === Editorializing === | ||