Talk:Weasel word

I had written this intending it to be a new article and copy it into Wiki, without realizing that an article already existed. It would have been nice if someone had linked this in "Wikipedia: Avoid weasel terms" which I had checked. Somehow I hadn't spotted this "Weasel word" article in the Google search. Dieter Simon 01:11, 25 Apr 2004 (UTC)

I would like to see a mention of the use of 'vague quantity' words like "some" and "many", and 'vague probability' words like "might", "may be", and "up to" in the article. Otherwise very good. I found it useful to link from another article where a weaseler was used exactly as described here. Naysayer 17:07, 30 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Naysayer, they are called quantifiers (some, many) on the one hand, and subjunctives (might)(may) on the other.

See para "Generalization in the use of weasel words" covers that: Generalization by means of grammatical quantifiers..." Examples given are few, many, people.

Yes, the subjunctives of verbs is another instance of weaseling. As for "up to", do you mean something like "up to 50 people were queueing up..."? Yes, that is true, it is often an easy way out for a reporter making a statement about such things. However, that is where things become more difficult. It is not always easy to find out the exact number of people involved in an event. Yet, reported it ought to be rather than not reporting it at all just because they weren't able to find the exact number of people involved "in the heat of the battle".

There were other failings. Do you remember the reporting of war casualties, especially during World War One: "50,000 casualties killed, wounded or missing ..." It was that catch-all phrase that was such an acceptable form to war correspondents and authorities alike (didn't it seem to matter whether soldiers were killed rather than wounded?), they almost certainly wouldn't get away with that kind of thing these days. (How's that for weaseling?)

You shouldn't, however, make up your own concepts, such as "vague quantity" or "vague probability" (a probability is already vague, anyway). Call them by their correct name (quantifier, subjunctive form, etc.), that makes it more professional.

Anyway, what's to stop you from adding content yourself? You can add to an article just as anyone else. So, do have a go. Dieter Simon 00:21, 31 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I've noticed many articles using the phrase "by far" such as All Bengal Teachers Association: "ABTA is by far the largest teachers organization in the state." IMO, it should simply say "ABTA is the largest...." Should similar uses of "by far" be changed? --mtz206 16:33, Jun 26, 2005 (UTC)

Say, does anyone know the origin of the term? I vaguely recall a style book from my distant past crediting someone with inventing the phrase. Scix 06:36, 19 November 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Related reference

Death Sentence by Don Watson
Watson's Dictionary of Weasel Words, Contemporary Cliches, Cant and Management Jargon by Don Watson

Opinion

It occurs to me that the term 'Weasel Words' is in itself a sterling example of Weasel Words. It is an attempt to discredit a writer's style, performed in a manner which avoids making any precise or measurable statement about what is wrong with the style, using a phraseology which is expressly designed to conjure all kinds of cliched and folkloric images in the mind of the reader.

A criticism of a writer such as "The Use of Vague References" is by contrast a precise and accurate one, since it makes its point without the use of cliche, vague reference, or innuendo.

Ian.