lindy47

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When is "sic" used in English ?

Reading The daily mail recently,"sic" was used several times in an article. Why ?

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+1 Views: 306 Answers: 4 Posted: 14 years ago

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eggplant

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Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, (sic)—when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source. The usual purpose is to inform readers that any errors or apparent errors in the copied material are not from transcription—that they are reproduced exactly from the original writer or printer. A bracketed sic may also be used as a form of ridicule or as a humorous comment, typically by drawing attention to the original writer's mistakes.

Though occasionally misidentified as an abbreviation, sic is an English-language adverb (also a noun and verb[1])[note 1] that has its origins in Latin.[note 2]

14 years ago. Rating: 3
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Colleen

Karma: 2042400

You see it used most often when a magazine is quoting someone or something that was already in print.

Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, (sic)—when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source. The usual purpose is to inform readers that any errors or apparent errors in the copied material are not from transcription—that they are reproduced exactly from the original writer or printer. A bracketed sic may also be used as a form of ridicule or as a humorous comment, typically by drawing attention to the original writer's mistakes.

Though occasionally misidentified as an abbreviation, sic is an English-language adverb (also a noun and verb[1])[note 1] that has its origins in Latin.[note 2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic