• Frequency of Use
    70 %
  • Retention Rate
    50 %
  • Complexity
    60 %
  • Sic Meanings

    adverb used in brackets after a copied or quoted word that appears odd or erroneous to show that the word is quoted exactly as it stands in the original, as in a story must hold a child's interest and “enrich his [sic] life.”

    Fields related to sic

    Academic Writing

    Used to indicate that a mistake or error in a quoted text is part of the original text and not a transcription error (e.g. 'The author wrote 'their' instead of 'there' [sic]')

    Legal Documents

    Used to indicate that a mistake or error in a quoted text is part of the original text and not a transcription error, often to highlight discrepancies in legal documents (e.g. 'The contract states 'principle' [sic] instead of 'principal')

    Journalism

    Used to indicate that a mistake or error in a quoted text is part of the original text and not a transcription error, maintaining the integrity of the source material (e.g. 'The interviewee said 'there' [sic] instead of 'their')

    Historical texts

    Used to indicate that a mistake or error in a quoted text is part of the original text and not a transcription error, preserving the historical accuracy of the document (e.g. 'The original manuscript reads 'its' [sic] instead of 'it's')

    Proofreading

    Used to indicate that a mistake or error in a quoted text is part of the original text and not a transcription error, helping proofreaders identify and correct errors (e.g. 'The report contains 'loose' [sic] instead of 'lose')

    Occupation Usage of sic

    Writer

    In writing, 'sic' is used to indicate that a mistake or unusual spelling in a quoted text is intentional and not an error by the writer. It is often used to maintain the original wording and context of the quoted material.

    Psychologist

    Psychologists may use 'sic' when quoting from a source that contains errors or unconventional language. It is used to indicate that the error is in the original text and not a mistake in the psychologist's own writing.

    Historian

    Historians use 'sic' when quoting historical documents or texts to indicate that any errors or unusual spellings in the original text have been preserved in the quotation. This helps maintain the accuracy and integrity of the source material.

    Journalist

    Journalists may use 'sic' when quoting sources with errors or unconventional language to indicate that the mistake is in the original text. It is used to show transparency and accuracy in reporting the source's words.

    Academic Researcher

    In academic writing, researchers use 'sic' to indicate errors or unconventional language in quoted material. It is used to acknowledge and preserve the original wording of the source, while also signaling that the error is not the researcher's own.

    Consolidated Statistics about sic

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