Julian SanchezSTOP USING “REFUTES” AS A SYNONYM FOR “DENIES.” I just saw a headline claiming George Santos “refutes” new allegations against him. Needless to say, he hasn’t refuted anything. He’s denied allegations, and is almost certainly lying. Sloppy usage misleads readers.
Normally this sort of thing is grammar nerd nitpicking, but this one gives seriously incorrect information to readers who only see the headline. You’re falsely telling them Santos has disproven accusations that are almost certainly true.
Nonya Bidniss 🥥🌴@normative In recent years I increasingly suspect that many journalists and even some editors don't actually know the meaning of many words.
Old Man Mike@normative it’s not grammar nerdism when talking about journalism - for Christ’s sake that’s their job.
riffle@normative This is common... and infuriating.
Paul Atkinson@normative Honestly, “nuh-uh” is not a refutation.
Words mean things, or used to.
Blitz the Goddamn Dragon@normative It's what happens when the Billionaire Class owns almost all of our media.
ራስ ባሪያው Rass Bariaw@normative long list of words and phrases being misused and abused:
1. Impact
2. Ramp up
3. Amp
4. In terms of
5. Outrage
Jon Lasser is Hanging in there@normative I suspect there’s confusion about the difference between “refutes” and “disputes.”
J.H.Noyes
Eric LawtonThe OED accepts that "deny" has become common.
It adds:
Traditionalists object to this newer use as an unacceptable degradation of the language, but it is widely encountered.
Mary Ann Horn@normative As does false equivalences. Listen up, media.
Graham Webster@normative I have had the same reaction for years with Xinhua stories about the Chinese government "refuting" this or that. But "to deny the truth or accuracy of" is a dictionary sense of the word. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refute
Paul Musgrave@normative @dangillmor a professor of mine had a set piece about the difference between refute, rebut, and denies. I wish more people had to listen to it
Lorian Taylor@normative
You're absolutely correct! Though at this point I don't think it would matter if he refutes or denies anything, he's still be lying about it!! 🤔
You're absolutely correct! Though at this point I don't think it would matter if he refutes or denies anything, he's still be lying about it!! 🤔
This Old Hiker@normative Yes, refuting allegations requires giving evidence of their untruth and is more than simply denying them. The problem is that this is 9th grade English, and not 6th grade.
SgtMoredread🇨🇦@normative sloppy is as sloppy does
Avi@normative Sloppy usage only misleads readers who can (1) read (2) know the proper usage and (3) don’t have a clue he is obviously lying, I wonder what set that is!
CellyBlue@normative he is a liar. A fact I won’t refute or deny.
RevJeber@normative
Words do have meanings.
Words do have meanings.
Flaming Cheeto
FinancialBear@normative o am sure you are correct about Santos. However of the use of “refute” I think you are wrong, refute can be used to deny a statement, it does not mean only to “disprove”: Synonyms for refute. 1510s, "refuse, reject," from Middle French réfuter (16c.) and directly from Latin refutare "drive back; rebut, disprove; repress, repel, resist, oppose," from re- "back"
Debet Esse
SyndicateMember@normative
Had exactly the same reaction for years, then consulted a dictionary. Seems it's fine.
Had exactly the same reaction for years, then consulted a dictionary. Seems it's fine.
@SyndicateMember The dictionary is wrong.
Ed Davies@normative Similarly, “disinterested” and “uninterested”.
Uninterested: not being mentally engaged with.
Disinterested: not having a stake in.
Ideally a judge should be disinterested in a case they're dealing with but not uninterested.