# Does "Deliberately Distorted" = "Lied"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-deliberately-distorted-lied/722598>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [June 15, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-deliberately-distorted-lied/722598 "2015-06-15T19:18:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-deliberately-distorted-lied/722598/5 "2015-06-15T20:24:24Z")

</div>

> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Poster B: OK, I see that your mischaracterization was not the result of a mistake. You deliberately distorted the situation.
> 
> Is there a difference between saying someone “deliberately distorted” something vs. saying they “lied about” that something?

The context, of course (sorry to give away your game, John):

> [@When people babble about "microaggressions", their real goal is censorship.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-people-babble-about-microaggressions-their-real-goal-is-censorship/722455/123):
>
> So, you deliberately used the wrong words.
> 
> Fair enough. I can now dismiss your complaint as deliberately distorted rather than mistaken.

Tom, IIRC, often uses phrases that imply dishonesty on the part of his debating opponents. “[Disingenuous](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18173082&highlight=disingenuous#post18173082)” [is](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17793238&highlight=disingenuous#post17793238) [a](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17425646&highlight=disingenuous#post17425646) [word](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17400928&highlight=disingenuous#post17400928) [he’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17125529&highlight=disingenuous#post17125529) [fond](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17120706&highlight=disingenuous#post17120706) [of](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17077234&highlight=disingenuous#post17077234).

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-deliberately-distorted-lied/722598)._