The internet has become a popular place for gaming and all forms of electronic communication. This form of communication combines some old and some new abbreviations, acronyms, and slang as part of everyday conversation. One of these accepted terms is “sic.” Here you will find the meaning of this term, examples and the information about its origin.
“Sic” Meaning
- “Sic” is a Latin term meaning “thus” or “so,” used in writing to indicate that a quoted word or phrase is reproduced exactly as it appears in the original source, even if it contains errors or unusual language.
What Does “Sic” Mean?
“Sic” is a Latin word meaning “thus” or “so.” In writing, it is placed in brackets—[sic]—immediately after a word or phrase within a quoted text to indicate that the text is being presented exactly as it appears in the original source, including any errors, unusual spellings, or odd language. It is used to clarify that the apparent mistake or irregularity is not an error made by the person quoting it but was in the original material.
Origin of “Sic”
The origin for this term comes from the Latin word “sicut.” This word in Latin means “just as” or “thus.” It was first used to indicate that an error had been made intentionally and kept in its form intentionally in the year 1856. Before the invention of the internet, this abbreviation was used in all forms of writing after a direct quote from another source where the answer existed and could not be changed. The same use continues today and is instead seen in all forms of electronic writing where direct quotes with obvious errors are presented such as online newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc.
Related Terms to Sic
Related terms to “sic” include:
- [sic erat scriptum] – Latin for “thus was it written,” the full form from which “sic” is derived, indicating the text is quoted exactly.
- Verbatim – Meaning “word for word,” used to indicate that something is copied or quoted exactly as it originally appears.
- Literal – Refers to taking words in their most basic or exact sense, without metaphor or exaggeration.
- [recte] – A Latin term meaning “correctly,” occasionally used in scholarly texts to indicate a correction of a quoted error.
- Cf. – An abbreviation of the Latin “confer,” meaning “compare,” used to refer readers to other material for comparison.
- Ibidem (ibid.) – A Latin term meaning “in the same place,” used in citations to refer to the same source mentioned immediately before.
Example Conversations
A texting conversation between two friends discussing homework.
- Friend 1: Did you read the paper that Mr. Clark sent home today?
- Friend 2: You mean the one to our parents?
- Friend 1: Yes, that one.
- Friend 2: No, I just stuffed it in my bookbag. Why?
- Friend 1: Because it says, and I quote, “I am there [sic] 8th grade English teacher for the 2019-20 school year.”
- Friend 2: And he is supposed to be teaching us proper English? LOL!
An online conversation between two players in a game.
- Player 1: How are we supposed to defeat this boss again?
- Player 2: The hint and tips page I looked on said, “Take to [sic] green potions, mix them with three purple potions and then throw it at him.”
- Player 1: I don’t think it’s working and I am running out of potions.
Alternatives to “Sic”
The only way to use an alternative to this abbreviation is to state beforehand that you know the direct quote you will be using has obvious errors, but that it was kept intact and without corrections because it is a direct quote and cannot be changed. That alternative would generally be more time consuming which is why most people use this abbreviation for obvious errors when quoting someone or something directly.