What does "[sic]" mean?
 

Topic says it all. I don't think I've ever saw the acronym before a few weeks ago and since then I've seen it probably 100+ times.

Maybe my knowing the meaning will answer my question, but is it just me or has this term been getting popular lately?

said in context

You use it to note that an error or oddity in something you're quoting was in the quote when you found it--that it's their error, not yours.

President George W. Bush today reported that "most people misunderestimate [sic] me."

ah.. I see.. Why didn't I learn this in school... Now that I know what it means I'll go back to never seeing it.. happens every time :)

Thanks ratbastid and francis

I wonder if it really means said in context or if it is a derivitive of a latin word:

sic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (sk)
adv.

Thus; so. Used to indicate that a quoted passage, especially one containing an error or unconventional spelling, has been retained in its original form or written intentionally.


[Latin sc. See so- in Indo-European Roots.]

I always wondered what that meant too. Thanx.

Wow. Glad somebody asked this! I had always meant to find out what that meant!

Thanks!

PS: I love this quote/example:

Useful way to remember it I suppose. Like people saying AD means After Death.

Just to let you know (If you didn't know already), means Anno Domini.

i always though it meant (spelling incorrect)

actually, it means "spelling is correct"

it's used after typing a word that appears to not be spelled correctly. Sometimes people will ask it as a question to be sure they spelled the word correctly.

Example:
I went to see a show from a group called The Mutaytor (sic)

Example 2:
I was just singing supercalifragilisticexpialodocious (sic?) and my mom walked in on me!

I always took it to be used when quoting a person who said something wrong, or quoting something the way it was written, even though the way it was written was spelled incorrectly.

As if to say, "No, I am not fucking stupid, but this is how President Bush actually did write it, so, since I am quoting him, I must quote him as he said it, even though I know he's wrong."

I don't think that's right. Aurigus is correct; it is Latin for the word "thus."

I've never seen "(sic?)" used if someone is not sure if they are spelling a word incorrectly; in that case, they use "(sp?)"

Yeah you guys are right. [Sic] is when you're quoting someone who mispelled something in their original statement. By adding [sic] it doesn't make you look like a dumbass when quote Bush.

"(sp?)" is only used correctly on the internet. I learned that the hard way when I incorporated it into a paper once. It is not a correct way to correct spelling. As far as I know, [sic] means "spelling is correct" for when you're quoting someone and they spelled something wrong.

I am enlightened. This is one of those things I never thought to ask, but am pleased someone did. Thanks for clearing it up.

Cool. I had a ballpark of what this was about, but it's good to get some solidarity with the meaning.

Thanks everyone :)

I'm glad I wasn't the only one that didn't know :) I love learning something new :)

You got that right! The correct way to correct spelling when you're writing something formal like a paper is with a dictionary.

Man. If I were grading a paper where somebody was too lazy to look up a word they were uncertain of, but instead included a cute little diacritical mark to tell me they KNEW they were uncertain of that word, it'd mean lost points for sure.

Definitely Latin for thus, as in Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (Thus passes the glory of the world). Used (as many have pointed out) to denote an intentional error whilst quoting another source. Is NOT an abbreviation for anything else. As most of us are aware Latin words and abbreviations are very coomon in written English (ad hoc, ad inf., QED, etc.)

That said "Said In Context" or "Spelling Is Correct" are not terribly bad memory aids...

and they said the Internet was bad for your language skills! :)

I had the same questions about "i.e." and "eg." tillst I edumacated myself!

Not a day goes by that I don't learn something from The board.

::sigh:: This is why we still need to teach Latin in schools.

Okay, first, [sic] is the latin word for "thus". You guys are right. Typically, most interpret it to mean [spelling in context], meaning just that - the spelling that was used by the author of the quote.

The (sp) appreviation is used in proofreading. It IS correct to use outside of the internet, just so long as you're correcting a paper. Only a complete dumbass would actually type it into a paper to allow the professor to realize that said student can't spell.

Sometimes (sp?) is used to politely point out to the writer of the paper that he can't spell the word correctly, or used by a teacher in correcting the paper to sacrastically remind the author that he needs to use a dictionary.



Glad we have that settled. ;)

Thanks, I have always wondered about that.

Ah, the advantages of a Liberal Arts education. Anyway, back to work:


"You want fries with that??"

Well, you learn something everyday. I wasn't expecting to ever learn what that meant, but now I know. Thanks. It's always bothered me.

Just a point of clarification...

[sic] should be interpreted as "thus in the original" or "thus, this way" (and will be in a grammar book, regardless of what "most" think the s.i.c. correlates to :))

The main point, however, is that it doesn't always indicate a spelling error. The problem can be grammatical, referring to a female author as "he," or just awkward sentence structure. Otherwise, you'll be searching for the damn word even when all are spelled correctly. ;)

Edited for spelling :o

Ratbastid speaks the truth. (Sorry to steal your quote redlemon, but it's so appropriate here :) )

[sic] is an amazing writer's tool that can make your point for you when you want to say 'the guy I'm quoting here is an idiot. I've used it several times in news stories I've written when quoting from an email or legislation.

Thank You one and all for answering one of 'those' questions.

I guess I had a grasp of what it meant, but was never 100% certain.

The TFP saves the day again!

Interesting...I always knew what it meant, but I never knew what it stood for. I feel all...I dunno...educated now. :)

Re: What does "[sic]" mean?
 

I really hate that, and i have no idea why it happened. It most recently happened with the word 'clique'; i saw it everywhere until i started using it.

I swell with pride each time I see someone using this phrase; it's like founding a cliche!

Always wondered about that. It makes so much more sense now!

I just marvel at the debate that such a small word can induce. This is why I like the TFP, so much information and so much sharing of it.
So, sic doesn't mean that the person your quoting is unwell? Seems some of you Yanks think that Bush is sic (sic).

you see it more often today because people don't know their English...

surprising how many folks in power can't read or write

I get [sic] after too many beers. Latin or not, I still get [sic].

I always wondered what that meant. That's one of the things I love about the internet: people just happen to mention what I've been too lazy to learn through conventional means.