Remote-Url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic
Retrieved-at: 2021-08-04 10:46:28.520263+00:00

Mark indicating that "errors" in a quotation stem from the sourceTheLatinadverbsic("thus", "just as"; in full:sic erat scriptum, "thus was it written")[1]inserted after a quoted word or passage indicates that the quoted matter has been transcribed or translated exactly as found in the source text, complete with any erroneous, archaic, or otherwise nonstandard spelling,punctuationorgrammar. It also applies to any surprising assertion, faulty reasoning, or other matter that might be interpreted as anerror of transcription.The typical usage is to inform the reader that any errors or apparent errors in quoted material do not arise from errors in the course of the transcription, but are intentionally reproduced, exactly as they appear in the source text. It is generally placed inside square brackets to indicate that it is not part of the quoted matter.Sicmay also be inserted derisively or sarcastically, to call attention to the original writer's spelling mistakes or erroneous logic, or to show general disapproval or dislike of the material.[2]Etymology and historical usage[edit]Though occasionally misidentified as an abbreviated word,sicis a Latin adverb used in English as an adverb, and, derivatively, as a noun and a verb.[3]Theadverbsic, meaning "intentionally so written", first appeared in English circa 1856.[4]It is derived from theLatinadverbsīc, which means "so, thus, in this manner".[5]According to theOxford English Dictionary, the verbal form ofsic, meaning "to mark with asic", emerged in 1889,E. Belfort Bax'swork inThe Ethics of Socialismbeing an early example.[6]False etymologies[edit]On occasion,sichas been misidentified as anacronym(and therefore sometimes misspelled with periods): "s.i.c." is said to stand for "spelled in context", "said in context", "said in copy", "spelling is correct", "spelled incorrectly", and other suchfolk etymologyphrases.[7]These are all incorrect and are simplybackronymsfromsic.Modern usage[edit]Use ofsicgreatly increased in the mid-twentieth century.[8]For example, inUnited Statesstate-court opinions before 1944,sicappeared 1,239 times in theWestlawdatabase; in those from 1945 to 1990, it appeared 69,168 times.[2]Its use as a form of ridicule, deserved or otherwise, has been cited as a major factor in this increase.[2]The immoderate use ofsichas created some controversy, leading some editors, including bibliographical scholar Simon Nowell-Smith and literary criticLeon Edel, to speak out against it.[9]Conventional use[edit]Sic, in its bracketed form, is most often inserted into quoted or reprinted material to indicate meticulous accuracy in reproducing the preceding text, despite appearances to the reader of an incorrect or unusualorthography(spelling,punctuation, grammar, syntax, fact, logic, etc.).[2][10]Several usage guides recommend that a bracketedsicbe used primarily as an aid to the reader, not as an indicator of disagreement with the source.[2][11]Use to denote archaisms and dialect[edit]Sicmay show that an uncommon orarchaicexpression is reported faithfully,[12][failed verification]such as when quoting theU.S. Constitution: "The House of Representatives shall chuse [sic] their Speaker ..." However, several writing guidebooks discourage its use with regard to dialect, such as in cases ofAmerican and British English spelling differences.[8][11][13]The appearance of a bracketedsicafter the wordanalysein a book review ledBryan A. Garnerto comment, "all the quoter (or overzealous editor) demonstrated was ignorance of British usage".[2]Use as a form of ridicule[edit]The use ofsiccan be seen as anappeal to ridicule, whether intentional or not, because it highlights perceived irregularities. The application ofsicwith intent to disparage has been called the "benighted use" because it reflects a "false sense of superiority" in its users.[2]The following example fromThe Timesof London demonstrates how theinterpolationofsiccan discredit a quoted statement.[improper synthesis?]Warehouse has been around for 30 years and has 263 stores, suggesting a large fan base. The chain sums up its appeal thus: "styley [sic], confident, sexy, glamorous, edgy, clean and individual, with  it's [sic] finger on the fashion pulse."[14]Ironic use[edit]Occasionally a writer places [sic] after their own words, to indicate that the language has been chosen deliberately for special effect, especially where the writer's ironic meaning may otherwise be unclear.[15]Bryan A. Garnerdubbed this use ofsic"ironic", providing the following example fromFred Rodell's1955 bookNine Men:[2][I]n 1951, it was the blessing bestowed on JudgeHarold Medina'sprosecution[sic] of the eleven so-called 'top native Communists,' which blessing meant giving the Smith Act the judicial nod of constitutionality.Formatting[edit]Wheresicfollows the quotation, it takesbrackets: [sic].[16]The wordsicis usually treated as aloanwordthat does not require italics, and the style manuals of New Zealand, Australian and British media outlets generally do not require italicisation.[11]However, italicization is common in the United States, where authorities includingAPA Styleinsist upon it.[17]Becausesicis not an abbreviation, placing afull stop/period inside the brackets after the wordsicis erroneous,[18][19]although one style guide suggests styling it as a parenthetical sentence only when used after a complete sentence, like so:(Sic.)[16]Alternatives[edit]Replacement[edit]Some guides, includingThe Chicago Manual of Style, recommend "quietcopy-editing" (unless where inappropriate or uncertain) instead of inserting a bracketedsic, such as by substituting in brackets the correct word in place of the incorrect word or by simply replacing an incorrect spelling with the correct one.[2][20]Recte[edit]Alternatively, to show both the original and the suggested correction (as they often are inpalaeography), one may give the actual form, followed byrecte, then the corrected form, in brackets. The Latin adverbrectemeansrightly.[21]An Iraqi battalion has consumed [recteassumed] control of the former American military base, and our forces are now about 40 minutes outside the city.According to theJournal of Seventeenth-Century Music Style Sheet, there should be no punctuation, for example no colon, before the corrected word when usingrecte.[22]Read[edit]A third alternative is to follow an error withsic, a comma or colon, "read", and the correct reading, all within square brackets, as in the following example:Item 26 - 'Plan of space alongside Evinghews [sic: read Evening News] Printing Works and overlooked by St. Giles House University Hall', [Edinburgh][23]See also[edit]References[edit]