# Meaning of "sic" (Spelling is...)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376 "2003-03-14T16:40:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/1 "2003-03-14T16:40:54Z")
Sorry, but I couldn’t search on this. “sic” is often used to indicate that a quote has been rendered exactly. It is usually placed after a misspelled word to indicate that it was the original writer, not the current one, who can’t spell. I thought that it stood for “Spelling Is Contained” or something like that. I was looking for the exact words involved in the acronym, but [m-w.com](http://m-w.com) says “Etymology: Latin, so, thus – more at SO” (and So says “Etymology: Middle English, from Old English swA; akin to Old High German sO so, Latin sic so, thus, si if, Greek hOs so, thus, Latin suus one’s own – more at SUICIDE”) So, (ha) is “sic”, officially or unofficially, an acronym? And if it is unofficially, what does it stand for? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/2 "2003-03-14T16:42:20Z")
It is not an acronym, it is from the Latin for “thus”. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/3 "2003-03-14T16:44:36Z")
> [@](#): > > ## 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 sic. See so- in Indo-European Roots.] From [dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com) ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/4 "2003-03-14T16:44:40Z")
It’s generally used to indicate an obvious error in the source material used, either spelling or a verifiably erroneous statement. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/5 "2003-03-14T16:54:24Z")
In other words, it’s a shortened version of “it was **thus** in the original,” which is the editor’s way of saying he noticed the mistake, but he didn’t make it. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/6 "2003-03-14T17:08:47Z")
“NutWrench likes chedar(sic) cheese” ---
**Author:** ![bobk2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@bobk2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobk2)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/7 "2003-03-14T17:18:45Z")
Another well know usage; “Sic Semper Tyrannus” (“Thus Always to Tyrants”) ``` - John Wilkes Booth ``` ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/8 "2003-03-14T17:20:44Z")
It’s not “from” the Latin, it IS Latin. sic = such – a direct translation. It is not, in any way, an acronym, abbreviation, or derivative. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/9 "2003-03-14T18:00:03Z")
I think it’s far to say _from_ Latin, no? Now that it’s English, it has to have come from somewhere. Really, I’m not picking nits; there’s a time when a whole heck of a lot of English words had come from somewhere. At some point we stopped italicizing them in printed text, which seems to kind of be a tacit admission of “officialness” in modern English. For example I would italicize _realpolitik_ were I to use it in a sentence. At what point do we accept a foreign word as English? Is “pronto” okay but we’re still waiting on “amigo”? Of course, it’s clearly not wrong to say “sic” _is_ Latin, either, since a thing is what it is, and in this case, is Latin, but also from Latin. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/10 "2003-03-14T18:29:16Z")
Given the OP’s confusion over the etymology, I think it’s better to be definite: _sic_ is a Latin word. Besides, I don’t think it’s really become an English word anyway; it’s used excusively as an editorial tool, and obviously never in speech. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/11 "2003-03-14T19:14:18Z")
So am I the only one who ever thought that it stood for “Spelling is Contained”? It seems so. Hey, I’ve been wrong on a few things before in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/12 "2003-03-14T19:59:50Z")
In my experience as a lawyer, sic is most often used to say, **I am smarter than the idiot who wrote this, and am going to make fun them under the deniable guise of accuracy.** I is perfectly acceptable legal usage to correct spelling/grammar quoted material within brackets. In fact, direct quotes are not needed nearly as often as they are used. At least in the law I practice. Paraphrases generally read better. Multiple and lenthy direct quotes are most often the sign of a lazy writer. **bobk2** Just saw the Seinfeld rerun where crazy Joe Davola said the Wilkes quote. Was amused to hear Jerry mistranslate it as **“death to tyrants” (sic).** ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/13 "2003-03-14T20:01:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rucksinator \* > So am I the only one who ever thought that it stood for “Spelling is Contained”? It seems so. Hey, I’ve been wrong on a few things before in my life. Not really. I always thought it meant “Said in Context”. ---
**Author:** ![abel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@abel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/14 "2003-03-14T20:03:15Z")
Ex. I think it’s far(sic) to say _from_ Latin, no? Now that it’s English, it has to come from somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/15 "2003-03-14T20:13:53Z")
I was actually taught by my ninth grade English teacher that it meant “Spelling Incorrect”. I continued to believe this until today. And I took two years of Latin and never noticed! ---
**Author:** ![Wyld\_Stallyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Wyld\_Stallyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wyld_Stallyn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/16 "2003-03-14T20:15:51Z")
\ ---
**Author:** ![Wyld\_Stallyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Wyld\_Stallyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wyld_Stallyn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/17 "2003-03-14T20:17:01Z")
\ ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/18 "2003-03-14T20:57:36Z")
🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/19 "2003-03-14T23:11:22Z")
No no, it’s “Spelling Is Cwestionable” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376/20 "2003-03-15T02:06:37Z")
No, no, NO, it’s “Spelling Is Cwestionable (sic)” 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sic-spelling-is/161376.md?page=2)