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What does sic mean?

From our traffic logs, it looks like twenty-nine people have ended up at this site after entering the query “what does sic mean?” into a search engine. As an aid to others following in their tracks:

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.
That from Atomica. And further:
Date: ca. 1859 : intentionally so written; used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces an original <~said he seed [sic] it all>
That from the secret PEI Provincial Library Service Online Reference for which you need a PEI library card number to access (hint: PEI library card numbers appear to all start with 2 3392 and are 14 digits long).

Saturday, December 15, 2001 - 11:42am
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Comments

Submitted by Frances (not verified) on Sat, 2001-12-15 18:47.
From Library Technologies, Inc. Website: “Many different barcode schemes are used in business and industry. The Universal Product Code (UPC), now ubiquitous in supermarkets as a means to control inventory and pricing, is perhaps the best known barcode symbology. Only two barcode symbologies are commonly used in libraries: Codabar (or Code-A-Bar) and Code 39 (or Code 3 of 9). In library applications, Codabar generally consists of a string of 14 digits. The first digit represents a patron or item. That is, a first digit of ‘2’ tells the circulation software that a patron number is being scanned; the number ‘3’ signifies that an item is being scanned. The next four digits (digits 2 through 5) are the institutional identifier. The local system vendor either assigns this number or the library can make up its own institution code. For example, the library might use the last four digits of its telephone number or the last four digits in its extended nine-digit ZIP code. The next eight digits (digits 6 through 13) define the sequence ID number. Most smart barcode sequences begin with the number 1
Submitted by Mike (not verified) on Sat, 2003-06-07 01:15.
Hey Dumbass…What does a discussion on “barcodes” have to do with the question at hand? Which is “What does sic mean?”
Submitted by Gomar (not verified) on Sat, 2003-06-14 01:11.
Wow, It is interesting how this site has been up for several years (I’m assuming from the date of the barcode post) and I just discovered it and Mike only just 7 days ago posted something else… Does this mean no one else cares? Or no one else has stumbled across the site! I’m happy I now know the meaning of sic ;-)
Submitted by DH (not verified) on Mon, 2003-07-21 12:31.
I am happy to know the mean of [sic] as well. If I had known sooner, I could have used it in a college English paper that I wrote, in which I quoted someone verbatim, only to be reprimanded for poor punctuation (although I still got an “A”). I knew that it was incorrect punctuation when I inserted it, but I hoped the teacher would understand that it was an exact quote. Live and learn.
Submitted by gabe (not verified) on Mon, 2003-07-21 16:11.
this is most interesting…
Submitted by majestik (not verified) on Tue, 2003-07-22 23:36.
Woah. I stumbled across this by searching for “What does [sic] mean?” in gogle after seeing it used in an e-mail featuresd on the TechTV Cable show called Unscrewed. This is quite an interesting internet anomaly.
Submitted by eri (not verified) on Wed, 2003-07-23 06:05.
wow, that was the most exact match for my search phrase for a long time:) thanks for info about sic
Submitted by Husker (not verified) on Wed, 2003-07-23 13:12.
Nice to read others didn’t know what the hell [sic] meant! All these years and I never took the time to find out until today……. As they say, “Live and learn”!
Submitted by Lara (not verified) on Mon, 2003-08-04 14:42.
I agree. I just got fed up with not knowing and here I am. Thanks for the info!
Submitted by Goob (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-07 15:46.
Finally…I saw that all over the newspaper today in an article and it finally made me get up and go find out what the hell it stood for!
Submitted by Neb the Newb (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-21 09:49.
Now if only someone knew what it actually stands for. It is likely the initial letters of Latin words, but as I don’t know my Latin… ;)
Submitted by Newb the Neb (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-21 09:53.
Well, Google answered my question for me. http://www.freepint.com/bar/read.php?i=13661 Seems ‘sic’ actually *is* ‘thus’ in Latin.
Submitted by Heather (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-21 17:18.
I still don’t get it…. is it an acronymn for a barcoding system or some sort of identification code ???? The definition of SIC is just crap! I want to know what a SIC code is used for. I feel like HEY where is my SIC code? Do you have a SIC code? What do you do with it??
Submitted by Heather (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-21 17:29.
THE ANSWER- An Acronymn for “Standard Industrial Classification” “A code number representing certain types of Industry and Company types” “has been officially obsolete since 1997” I say ignore it-
Submitted by Peter Rukavina (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-21 17:46.
The SIC code — Standard Industrial Classification — is an out-of-date standard, still widely-used, for classifying industries. It’s used quite a bit for statistical reporting on economic issues. In recent years it has been gradually replaced, in North America, with the NAICS — North America Industrial Classification System. This system, adopted by Mexico, the U.S.A. and Canada, is mostly the same for all three countries, although there are differences relating to each local economy. This SIC abbreviation is different from the word “sic.”
Submitted by Steve (not verified) on Thu, 2003-08-28 01:45.
A day for the diary.. I have finally confirmed the meaning of “sic”. Thank you for the good folk at Reinvented for hosting this thread. Now I have but one question. What is the rule regarding the placement of [sic]? I guess it depends on whether you’re highlighting a spelling mistake, or grammatical error. In the case of a spelling mistake, I expect you would it place it directly after the offending word. Whereas, in the case of a grammatical mistake, you would place it at the end of the sentence. Does that sound right? I look forward to my first usage of [sic], so beware out there, I’m watching. As for the barcode reference, please find another three letter acronym, why must you bastardise this one? :) Cheers.
Submitted by Doug Little (not verified) on Sat, 2006-07-22 16:16.
I found that t-shirt: http://www.onehorseshy.com/highbrow/bad_grammar_makes_me_sic/
Submitted by Pat (not verified) on Tue, 2006-08-22 11:53.
Thanks so much for the entertaining reading and for finally answering my question on the meaning of [sic]. I had seen this in the newspaper and no one ever knew. I even called the newspaper itself and asked them. They didn’t have a clue! I was surprised to see how many people are unable to spell correctly, doesn’t anyone use their spell checker? I guess now we know why [sic] was invented in the first place.
Submitted by Pig (not verified) on Thu, 2007-05-31 02:58.
I think it means that Tilly is a SIC c*nt or else he is Gay….
Submitted by Slick (not verified) on Thu, 2007-05-31 02:51.
In certain areas in New Zealand SIC means ‘Standard Issue Clothing’ referring to the ‘Standard Issue’ Canterbury brand rugby shorts worn by many of the locals.
Submitted by Tilly (not verified) on Thu, 2007-05-31 02:39.
I was asked what this meant by a guy from work and had to read this whole forum, granted I know what it means now but I still want my time back. As ‘Cal’ said, this thread started when the internet was cool. And he should know as he used to work for the ATO. Looking forward to checking this site in 2012….
Submitted by thejad (not verified) on Thu, 2007-05-31 03:21.
Hey Guys! Funny… you use this thread as well??? do i know this “Cal” character you make reference too?
Submitted by sicman (not verified) on Thu, 2006-09-07 05:10.
i know the meaning of sic. but i won’t tell. bcoz i’m sic(k).
Submitted by Beverly (not verified) on Tue, 2008-06-17 12:21.
Today is June 17, 2008. I was curious about [sic] and did a Yahoo search. Guess what. This thread is still going. I got my answer but far be it from me to stop the thread. Who knew this would last this long….
Submitted by JB (not verified) on Thu, 2006-09-14 11:18.
Just wanted to know what (sic) meant but ended up laughing so hard at some of the comments. We should all get together and have lunch
Submitted by lisa (not verified) on Sat, 2006-11-04 10:44.
WOW… im definatly glad that searched (SIC) today… LOL
Submitted by Keith (not verified) on Sat, 2006-11-11 23:40.
I am 40 and have wondered for years what (sic) meant. Possibly “Spelling Intentionally Corrupted”? But no, that didn’t make sense. Neith did Spelling Intentionally Corrected. I was about to take a self-imposed dirt-nap at the level of frustration. Then, I thought, why not ask online and see if I’m freakishly alone. Now that I’ve seen this freakishly-long thread, I can say this, “Goodbye Crule (sic) World”.
Submitted by borat (not verified) on Tue, 2006-11-14 04:01.
this is simply one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a really long time…and funniest. internet rules
Submitted by MB (not verified) on Tue, 2006-11-14 04:23.
It could be like a time capsule! lets see… Today WASHINGTON (AP) — The widows of two combat veterans sued the government Monday for not allowing Wiccan symbols on their husbands’ military headstones. — The long-awaited new James Bond movie will premiere in London tonight, with the Queen due to be among those watching actor Daniel Craig make his debut as the suave secret agent. — MONDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) - Steaks, hamburgers and other red meat could raise younger women’s risk for an estrogen-linked form of breast cancer, researchers report. — Reports: Britney Spears Sex Tape Real, Fed-ex To Sell It Playfuls.com - 20 hours ago by Ion C. The British tabloid News of the World reported Federline is shopping around an explicit video of his antics with his wife on their honeymoon. — I just went to wal-greens and bought two of those little canisters of “five hour energy” drink and I’m writing a lab report for cell biology (prof bell). A small liberal arts school in AR is currently balling the hell out of my sleep schedule and I feel sick. “smoke weed ‘er[sic] day” props internet
Submitted by schmer (not verified) on Wed, 2006-11-08 23:25.
HOLY SHIT I cant believe this thread is still going!!! Long live the (sic)ness of all you internet freaks
Submitted by Moof (not verified) on Sat, 2006-11-18 10:41.
I find it extremely sad that this thread alive after December 15, 2001, and all bothered to repeat the meaning of [sic] numerous times. That’s the sadder part, but I guess I’m contributing to the problem by replying to this thread. Nonetheless, to be redundant, [sic] just means spoken in context. E.g. You’re interviewing someone, and the pronounce “Sandra Bullock” “Sandra Bullack.” In the paper, let it appear: “Sandra Bullack [sic]” Oh, and [sic] is an acronym. What the letters stand for is what it means… =P Oh! And et al., to be redundant again, is used many times when citing sources like textbooks, etc. for a MLA Reference page. Like if there are 100 authors, then you’d just put Doe, John et al. That way people can look for the first name if they check your cited sources and you don’t have to spend an hour writing down these people’s names. Yay for explanations
Submitted by Nick In Denver (not verified) on Tue, 2007-01-02 16:54.
What MOOF said…. I would brag about having the first post in 2007 on a six year old thread, but that would just be so wrong [tic].
Submitted by Debbie (not verified) on Mon, 2003-09-01 19:42.
When someone asks me what SIC “stands for”, not what it means, I just say “Spoken in Context”. Not exactly what it was MEANT to stand for, but makes sense and I don’t have to elaborate further.
Submitted by Meaty (not verified) on Sat, 2007-01-06 00:49.
Ahh, now I get it. Thanks MOOF!!! :)
Submitted by Ryan (not verified) on Tue, 2007-01-16 07:58.
[sic] - While I am unaware of any Latin (or otherwise) meaning, I can say this. It is used to signify that a misspelled word in a quote is in fact quoted properly, mistakes and all. An easy way to remember this is by the acronym Spelling Is Correct (sic). For example: Trump responded, “Rosie is a looser [sic].” Hope this helps.
Submitted by Kev (not verified) on Sun, 2007-05-20 16:53.
I used to be a big fan of PC Format… until this evening when I saw that term [sic] again and realised I had absolutely no idea what it meant! So I decided to Google it and found this thread…. some 45 minutes later I thought I’d add my piece to this mammoth thread! So [sic] actually means ‘Spelling Is Correct’ then, yes?! Please let me know if I read it wrong!!
Submitted by Rob (not verified) on Sun, 2007-02-18 09:37.
There will be a meeting in the telephone booth at Reading station on 20 February 2007 at 18h00 for all participants in this thread who really care what sic stands for. Bring your own notebooks and pencils.
Submitted by Frankie (not verified) on Thu, 2007-03-22 01:37.
Well I guess I was the only one at the telephone booth at Reading station.
Submitted by tkbr0wn (not verified) on Tue, 2007-04-10 17:46.
Wow, I googled myself and this thread came up. I cant believe this thing is still going. I first posted over 2 years ago.
Submitted by incubator (not verified) on Sun, 2007-04-15 22:51.
funny stuff. i read half these posts so far and i got up to the post thats responsible for this search result. thanks Dev! btw google[sucks] sic ask.com got me here
Submitted by yillbrillem (not verified) on Wed, 2007-04-18 01:53.
…this is indeed a long, long thread. Thanks for the info… I, like many other curious monkeys,… finally tired of their own ignorance googled “what is [sic]” after reading this post on www.crooksandliers.com …In 1999, as the nation was still coming to grips with the tragedy at Columbine High School, then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) took to the floor to identify what he saw as the real culprit: science classes.
Submitted by Yankee (not verified) on Tue, 2007-04-24 11:17.
This is hilarious! I’ve been seeing [sic] for years in newspapers and legal case sites and knew, by the context it was used what it meant, but finally decided to ask jeeves what the correct definition was. I never expected to be so entertained, but then I’m easily amused. Ryan quoted, “An easy way to remember this is by the acronym Spelling Is Correct (sic). For example: Trump responded, “Rosie is a looser [sic].” Either way, Trump’s right!!! Thanks all, for the chuckle!!
Submitted by ChrisM (not verified) on Mon, 2007-04-30 21:35.
“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinion, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” Oscar Wilde….Now ponder that after you have read all these posts and the variances contained herein; on a simple question where one has seeked an answer. This thread has it all, love, hate, ignorance, compassion, intolerance, a spirit of helpfulness…..but mostly entertainment!……nice slice of today’s society….
Submitted by robyn (not verified) on Fri, 2007-05-11 03:32.
Friday may 11th 1:30am 2007. ok this thread been from dec 15 2001. just because”what does (sic) mean. well yeah thats nice to see what everyones opinion was. why am i even posting this?
Submitted by Paul (not verified) on Sat, 2007-07-07 11:34.
And the latest example…..(not that further proof was required Britney is an idiot) “I apologize to the pap for a stunt that was done 4 months ago regarding an umbrella,” Spears said in a statement posted Wednesday on her Web site. “I was preparing my character for a roll (sic) in a movie where the husband never plays his part so they switch places accidentally. I take all my rolls very seriously and got a little carried away. Unfortunately I didn’t get the part.” http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/06/spears.apology.ap/index.html
Submitted by TheNimster (not verified) on Sun, 2007-07-08 13:56.
Paul, that little blurb from Britney is what finally drove me to Google the question “What does sic mean?”. Great minds despair alike, eh? I had (sic) figured out long ago by its contextual usage, but thanks to all who explained its origin.
Submitted by The [sic] Lord (not verified) on Mon, 2007-07-16 14:14.
The end is near my [sic] underlings. Repent, repent for all of your misspelled words. Fishsticks are better when overcooked a bit.
Submitted by [sic] (not verified) on Tue, 2007-07-24 17:31.
Look at how long this thread has been educating people. Astounding isn’t it. Not being afraid to ask a question. What is most disturbing is how few actually read all of the threads (indicitive of their response). Without the autonomy of the internet, who would we have asked?
Submitted by heko (not verified) on Tue, 2007-10-23 19:26.
Damn, this is nothing to do with the term “Sic ‘Im” that I was googling.
Submitted by C Tompkins (not verified) on Thu, 2003-09-25 08:07.
So [sic] is Latin for ‘Thus’ indicating that you realise the sentence is wrong, but you are quoting it anyway. It is often used by reporters quoting Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I would vote for him anyway cos he is cool. SIC also stands for Standard Industrial Classification,and it is found in statistical reports. But that’s probably not what you are after aye. Great, glad that we’ve cleared that one up.
Submitted by Steph (not verified) on Wed, 2007-11-21 08:49.
Well I have nothing to add to this thread, but along with so many other people, after reading the whole thing I really feel I should continue it, especially because the number of new posts seems to be diminishing! I can’t believe I read it too late for the meet up in Reading! I’ll be sure to check it again in a couple of years and see what’s going on!!!
Submitted by Lucy (not verified) on Thu, 2008-01-24 17:39.
Still going strong in January 2008!! Thanks for the answer and the laughs!!
Submitted by Tony (not verified) on Mon, 2008-02-11 02:10.
This thread just keeps on going, I didn’t manage to read the whole thing but I got what I needed.
Submitted by Donna (not verified) on Sun, 2008-02-17 04:16.
Well thanks everyone for the answer to the question, now I know I will be able to write my essay :)
Submitted by jojo (not verified) on Tue, 2008-07-22 04:22.
This is the greatest thread ever… hope they never take it down!
Submitted by Krippy (not verified) on Mon, 2008-11-03 15:52.
I still don’t understand what the frig (sic) means?????
Submitted by Stevo (not verified) on Tue, 2008-11-25 16:08.
So Krippy. As I understand the intellects here. In a nutshell… You’ll type [sic] after a mispelled word, when quoting. That way the original author retains his moron status and you come out looking like a snob, err… I mean the intelligent juan! sic = latin for “thus” sicut = latin for “as is”
Submitted by Abe (not verified) on Fri, 2008-12-05 01:42.
I just remember it as ‘Spelling Isn’t Change’ ”
Submitted by fellostevens (not verified) on Sun, 2008-12-07 23:07.
I was hoping. I only hope. But now its lost. Everyone is backwards, everyone is sucks. One simple definition would suffice. 6 billion people. Why is everyone so lonely, why is everyone (sic)?
Submitted by liu kang (not verified) on Fri, 2009-06-05 20:10.
LOL, I typed in WTF DOES SIC MEAN? and this was still the first result. This question has been torturing me for the past ten years, THANK YOU SO.
Submitted by evelyn chard (not verified) on Fri, 2009-06-26 14:23.
Time goes by so quickly. Can anyone provide a link to the longest thread on the internet? That would be interesting. Also, I found this site through www.bing.com, microsoft’s new search engine. Google is not longer the only place to go. Ack! The world is changing so fast.
Submitted by Ed (not verified) on Fri, 2003-10-10 06:45.
You’re all gays
Submitted by chonsp (not verified) on Fri, 2003-10-10 11:32.
I agree with Ed. God bless the internet for keeping alive years old posts (you all crack me up) . Now I know the meanings of SIC I did “Google”, and the types that also what to know.
Submitted by john bong (not verified) on Mon, 2003-10-13 06:11.
your all dik flops *PRAISE ED* sic is a bike shop in sydney you banna pooos
Submitted by MrEguy (not verified) on Thu, 2003-10-30 08:07.
The meaning was apparent from its usage—but now I know what it means for sure. “I was getting sic [sic] of wondering so long about the actual meaning of sic.” —MrEguy
Submitted by Franimal (not verified) on Tue, 2003-11-18 19:51.
I find it bizarre that this site was meant to answer the question “What does [sic] mean?” but I like it! I can’t wait to tell all my friends, err, I mean, friend.
Submitted by patrick shelley (not verified) on Mon, 2003-11-24 03:03.
I was reading Micheal Moore’s “dude, wheres my country” (incidently, if the yanks keep bush in after reading that book, then i’ll be truly convinced that they deserve EVERYTHING they ever get regarding ‘terrorist’ (military) attacks)….anyway…a page had [sic] on it, and as i really and truly want to understand just what the F*** is going on in our world led by bush/blair, I looked up “what does [sic] mean on jeeves, and it led me to this page. Knowing what it meant didnt enlighten me as to what the f*** is going on in our world, it just indicated that the person who wrote it (in a position of importance) shouldn’t be where they are in the 1st place. I’m still trying to understand whats going with bush [sick].
Submitted by georgina bush (not verified) on Sat, 2003-11-29 11:49.
aiyah, no lah. “sic” is one of the title names of slipknot’s song lah sia. no wonder u all blur blur. my english very poor lah. so i using singlish. can understand rite? haha…
Submitted by jedimike (not verified) on Sun, 2003-11-30 18:59.
good stuff…. hehe… I’m a college student and was using SIC incorectly… but poped it into google and, hey, found out the real meaning.
Submitted by Don (not verified) on Wed, 2003-12-10 20:15.
Thanks for the entertainment, I too wanted to find out what [sic] meant, and during a slow night at home I found this site. I enjoyed a good laugh ‘at’ some of you. This act should be taken on the road.
Submitted by Acro (not verified) on Sat, 2003-12-13 08:43.
Should tere not be a law against using acronyms that people do not understand [uiz]?
Submitted by pianoman (not verified) on Tue, 2003-12-16 18:49.
I say “C Tompkins” has the most relevant answer. It’s what I have always deduced by putting 2 and 2 together after seeing it so many times in things I’ve read. One more thing - I also noticed that [sic] needed to be used in many of these threads, but the author didn’t…..realize it. : )
Submitted by pianoman (not verified) on Tue, 2003-12-16 18:51.
Steve’s thread was good, too. : )
Submitted by Ronald B Furnish (not verified) on Thu, 2003-12-18 13:46.
What does the acronym ADT stand for?
Submitted by c0h3n (not verified) on Fri, 2004-01-02 04:51.
LOL i am effing thourougly amused by this frickin’ long thread. i am so effing [sic]core. umm im just here to say everyone go listen to some metal because metal is good. and i mean music, dont go sit by a metallic element and try to listen to it, neeners. o and i am agent smith and im a ninja too. @l\l[) ! (@l\l +`/l*3 1!l<3 +l-l!5
Submitted by Mark H (not verified) on Tue, 2004-01-20 20:32.
It means Standard Industry Code
Submitted by tim (not verified) on Wed, 2004-01-21 15:53.
this website is wierd…
Submitted by wes (not verified) on Thu, 2004-01-22 20:37.
All my life,(except for when I was a baby), [sic] i’ve wanted to know what [sic] means [sic] so i can use is correctly [sic] and people will realize how smart i actually am. i’ve read all your posts and i still don’t know. You all make me sic.
Submitted by Bobbin (not verified) on Thu, 2004-02-12 04:28.
Yeah…me(sic)too.
Submitted by klm (not verified) on Sat, 2004-01-31 17:51.
if somebody makes a spelling mistake in a post or book or whatever and you want to quote them, you place [sic] after the misspelled word, that way people don’t think it was you’re fault that the word was misspelled. sic is actually latin for ‘so’ or ‘thus’ notice i said you’re when i should have said your, if you were going to quote me you would write “…that way people don’t think it was you’re[sic] fault…” you can use it with grammatical errors or capitalization and all those other nifty things
Submitted by cool one (not verified) on Wed, 2004-02-04 22:59.
Its some kind of spread like grey pupon but its not grey
Submitted by Fuhrer (not verified) on Mon, 2004-02-09 12:14.
its as gay as the cool one. but he’s not cool.
Submitted by Fuhrer (not verified) on Mon, 2004-02-09 12:17.
he’s just a fucking nob[sic].
Submitted by 2da (not verified) on Sun, 2004-02-08 20:19.
amazing that you can have a post about [sic] and still not fully understand its meaning
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2004-02-16 04:26.
thx for this post mates, good to know the meaning of sic finally 0_0
Submitted by G.W. (not verified) on Mon, 2004-02-16 16:43.
sic means that someone is quoting something they know is wrong, but are quoting it anyway. President Bush said the sky was “(sic)red” and money was “(sic)free” Bush also said “Mr.Cheny does (sic)not controls me”
Submitted by L.G. (not verified) on Sun, 2004-02-29 12:48.
It actually comes from the Latin, “sicut” (meaning is best translated “as is”). It is used by writers when quoting other writers to show that an error in punctuation or spelling, or a stylistic eccentricity, was present in the original version, and is not their own mistake. Sort of a sly way of showing how clever you are by highlighting the mistakes of others.
Submitted by RSimpson (not verified) on Mon, 2004-03-01 06:25.
ah at last the origin as well as the meaning.
Submitted by Gianna (not verified) on Mon, 2004-03-01 10:43.
I got here the same way majestik did. Except I read the (sic) in the son of sam letters..
Submitted by kned (not verified) on Wed, 2004-03-03 18:20.
i skipped work today because i was sic
Submitted by Lameass (not verified) on Wed, 2004-03-03 19:43.
i kan’t believe i just red that hole thread.
Submitted by Mad (not verified) on Thu, 2004-03-04 23:28.
yeah… me too!
Submitted by Farrell (not verified) on Fri, 2004-03-05 19:14.
I think everyone should put their age on here so we can see how long it took for them to ask “what does (sic) mean”.
Submitted by silver_premium (not verified) on Fri, 2004-03-05 20:53.
I am 22 years old. Is that sick?
Submitted by Corey Zelinski (not verified) on Sat, 2004-03-06 21:09.
“Sic” means “thus” in Latin, and can also be used to signify “yes.” In the case of “[sic]” in brackets inside a sentence or quotation, it signifies: - a grammatical mistake; - an untruth; - sarcasm or disagreement with a so-called fact, statement, opinion etc. “Bob wrote: ‘We is all goods peopol [sic].’” “John Johnson is a deranged man who calls himself ‘Robert.’ Today Robert [sic] went to the library.” “That leftist Hillary Clinton was quoted as saying, ‘[There is] a vast, right-wing conspiracy [sic]…’” I hope this clears things up a bit. Corey Zelinski
Submitted by Cal Cobb (not verified) on Mon, 2004-03-08 09:54.
[sic] should be used sparingly or it becomes as confusing as the referenced text. It covers up any notion that “you” made the grammatical or spelling error, or whatevr [sic]. The term is most often used by journalists and authors lashed to textual accuracy when quoting or making a personal point or opinion [sic].
Submitted by karonte (not verified) on Wed, 2004-03-10 07:30.
qu
Submitted by schizogirl (not verified) on Thu, 2004-03-18 14:11.
O.K., I’m 45 and I guess a dumbass because I’ve always wondered what(sic) meant. Now I know thanks to a couple of not so dumbass people! In addition, I did get some great chuckles out of these post. GET A LIFE!
Submitted by mark sadlowski (not verified) on Thu, 2004-03-18 21:04.
SIC means spelling incorrect da!
Submitted by mark sadlowski (not verified) on Thu, 2004-03-18 21:05.
SIC means spelling incorrect…………….
Submitted by terri elders (not verified) on Sun, 2004-03-21 10:08.
Corey is correct. When I studied high school journalism in the early ‘50’s we were taught that it came from the Latin word for “thus,” but that journalists used it to mean “see in copy.” The implication was, indeed, that some OTHER idiot made the mistake, not you.
Submitted by dewie (not verified) on Mon, 2004-03-22 10:46.
Yes, finally I too know what [sic] means! It’s been a confusing 25 years, that’s for sure. I am so smart, I am so smart, S M R T, I mean S M A R T [sic]…
Submitted by jay (not verified) on Mon, 2004-03-29 23:17.
I just read all your comments on the word [sic]. I need a beer and a nap now.
Submitted by Tee (not verified) on Tue, 2004-03-30 05:46.
Feckin internet - although that was quite probably the most boring 2 minutes of my life, i couldnt help but read the whole post. At least by adding yet another comment i make it that little bit more unbearable for the next reader.
Submitted by Saul (not verified) on Fri, 2004-04-02 01:37.
Well, I’m off to patent sic. I think that it could be quite lucritive. At least I would get a couple of bucks from you people. hmmmm… I wonder if there is a patent on sick too… We shall see…
Submitted by Saul (not verified) on Fri, 2004-04-02 01:38.
Hehe! I just found out that I can patent incorrect spelling too! Woohoo! Drinks for all my friends!
Submitted by Saul (not verified) on Fri, 2004-04-02 01:53.
wait wait wait! You are all wrong! [sic] means “the way” in latin, or “the way he said it”. It mean that the quote was exactly as the person said, and NOT an error on the writer’s part.” eg: “You have been warmed [sic].” to show that there is not a spelling mistake in the quote, but that THAT is what the person actaully said. OK! NOW I can go and patent [sic]! Now that I have the correct usage. Yay! Many people say things every day, AND get quoted! I shall be rich!
Submitted by Big Ed (not verified) on Fri, 2004-04-02 13:09.
I read everything on this page. Three or so said it means “thus.” A couple said “thus, so.” One said “the way.” One very authoritatively said ” … comes from the Latin, “sicut” (meaning is best translated as “as is”).” “Spoken in context” is a good mnemonic. One guy took the time to explain the origin of the abbreviation that uses the same letters and how it has nothing to do with “sic.” Frances really got things off the mark with her discussion of the acroym and barcodes. Mr. Bong, Georgina and Coh3n win my vote for most pointless. Unfortunately, I didn’t find a definitive answer to how to properly use “sic”. Does it have to be used within a quote? Should it be used only with brackets? Seems like it should come right after an offending word. But, how about after an offending sentence or paragraph? At least, anyone who reads this whole thread should never forget the meaning of “sic.” Really, reading this whole thread must have an affect on one’s charma. We should be careful though. Ben laden could be reading this, too.
Submitted by -.-; (not verified) on Tue, 2004-04-06 00:55.
goodness… Big Ed go here and have all your questions answered… few had parts correct, few were sophomoric and others were just complete morons..here is the link http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/usage/sic?view=uk
Submitted by CAO (not verified) on Wed, 2004-04-07 07:20.
Thank you all for the most entertaining 15 minutes I have ever spent on the Internet. 51 years old and never used nor had any reason to use, but will make the most of my opportunities to highlight mistakes of others from now on.
Submitted by wasabi (not verified) on Wed, 2004-04-14 22:52.
i think this discussion has gone a little overboard. if ur gonna explain something, fine, but jeez how many pointless posts does it take before its jut TOO MUCH
Submitted by wasabi (not verified) on Wed, 2004-04-14 22:55.
lol let me try again: i think this discussion has gone a little overboard. if ur gonna explain something fine, but jeez how many pointless posts does it take before its just TOO MUCH?
Submitted by M (not verified) on Tue, 2004-04-20 14:18.
At this point, all of this is just history…
Submitted by William (not verified) on Sun, 2004-04-25 02:58.
I’ll be sure to use this from now on. Funny how many people found this thing like I did and read this whole boring thred [sic]. Happy that I finally know it. But I’m only 16, so I checked it before any of you, yay!
Submitted by db (not verified) on Sun, 2004-04-25 03:23.
Man, what a popular topic, many ppl must read the newspaper… At the time of me writing this, this topic is about 2 years and 5 months old. Thats quite impressive…
Submitted by cZER9621 (not verified) on Wed, 2004-04-28 19:29.
You know what it is? It’s the mentality of these people looking for the meaning of sic. WHY are they looking for it? Maybe they’re just picky. And that’s why this thread is so damn long. Go on. Maybe we can form a club of sic people. ;)
Submitted by remoreseful [sic] (not verified) on Thu, 2004-04-29 16:12.
Holy Mother of God; I promise to discipline myself to never again Google one of those little nagging questions at the back of my mind during a lazy period at work. I shall now pour some hot coffee in my trousers & get back to work….
Submitted by Levales (not verified) on Tue, 2004-05-04 00:49.
After reading all the post on sic I’ve come to a conclusion…. sadly this post could last forever…
Submitted by Morp (not verified) on Tue, 2004-05-04 23:58.
I’ve also been wondering what “[sic]” meant for years but never got round to looking it up (“spelling incorrent” seemed the most plausible answer given the context in which it was used, but I was never certain). Thanks to Google and whatever this site is, I now know. :)
Submitted by Patrick (not verified) on Wed, 2004-05-05 07:04.
Amazing
Submitted by Asa (not verified) on Thu, 2004-05-06 12:25.
Terry come home. All is forgiven. We never meant for you to find this site [sic]. Hopefully, your Prozac is working and you will come back safely. P.S. We’ve thrown away the computer. (P.S.? Doesn’t that mean ‘Post Script’?….does anyone know?)
Submitted by Terry (not verified) on Thu, 2004-05-06 15:03.
Asa, We have been imortalized on this [sic] site. I am sure that discussions such as these are exactly what the internet was invented for. Think of all the burning questions we could Google, and all the similar discussion threads we could be a part of! I am so excited! And so VERY glad that I, too, am a dumbass and had to research the meaning of … I forgot why I am here!!!
Submitted by Kyle (not verified) on Sat, 2004-05-08 00:51.
I came here from google as well. Fantastic; I’ve made it inot internet nerd heaven.
Submitted by Luis Enrique (not verified) on Sun, 2004-05-09 15:09.
Aleluya, I
Submitted by Pierre van H. (not verified) on Mon, 2004-05-10 14:10.
stop talking crap… what DOES [sic] mean????
Submitted by Saul (not verified) on Mon, 2004-05-10 15:42.
AHHHHhahahahha! Oh! The power of KNOWLEDGE! (By the way, Asa, PS does mean “Post Script”. And PPS, “Post, Post Script”, etc.)
Submitted by Your Mom (not verified) on Wed, 2004-05-12 11:43.
Arguing on the Internet is like competing in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still a retard.
Submitted by Bear (not verified) on Thu, 2004-05-13 00:47.
Pierre, Here you go… 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. That from Atomica. And further: Date: ca. 1859 : intentionally so written; used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces an original <~said he seed [sic] it all>
Submitted by mike (not verified) on Fri, 2004-05-14 22:40.
blah blah blah, I just wanted to know something, what does stupid F*****G (sic) mean because I see it EVERYWHERE ! After reading all this and partially being totally entertained, partially impressed and partially bored, IT is “A Wrinkle in Time” (recent moovie (sic) sucked but a total great classic book in hindsight to anyone wit (sic) A BRAIN) and IT a nd (sic) all that and DAMN… much ado about fucking nothing… Bush detractors, Love ya all (sic) Buttt (sic), ya’ll need corrective lenses to sea (sic) the world for what it all really IS ! Do Ya stand UP to bullies (sic ‘er maybe not, you tell me) ? “Er ,, let ;em WALK TROD STOMP ALL OVE YER DUMB ACTIONLESS ASS ? ( sic? ))
Submitted by wigginout (not verified) on Sat, 2004-05-15 10:52.
Anyone wanna go for the Giness book world rccord for a post lifespan? Started December 15, 2001 - ???? p.s.: It only took me 38 years to look up the meaning. Now I no way more than I ever wanted to. p.p.s.: I’ve left several opportunities for you to use [sic] in your writing if you wanna quote me.
Submitted by Matt (not verified) on Sun, 2004-05-16 21:12.
What a wonderful way to waste a morning at work :) However, in order to keep this post fresh and interesting, let me introduce another question that has been touched on here. What comes after p.p.s.? I generally believed it to be p.p.p.s., but a rather knowledgable friend of mine tells me it should be p.p.s.s. Any thoughts? p.s. I’m 30 and I finally know what [sic] means. p.p.s. I can’t wait to use it for the first time. p.p.s.s.[sic] does this count???
Submitted by evilduck (not verified) on Mon, 2004-05-17 17:04.
SIC “stands for”, “Spoken in Context”. We all see that the spelling is incorrect, but fault lies with the original quote and not the writer who is informing you.
Submitted by Steve (not verified) on Wed, 2004-05-19 06:35.
I knew what it was used for, but had been asking people at work what is actually stood for. I guessed it was Latin, so, like most people here put “what does sic mean?” into Google and came here! So “sic”is Latin for “thus”, but the above guy says it’s “Spoken in Context”. Hmm….
Submitted by SlyW (not verified) on Wed, 2004-05-19 10:24.
Why did I just waste my time reading this entire post? I suppose I did come away with a contextual meaning for [sic] but no true definition. Good enough for me.
Submitted by Andrew (not verified) on Sat, 2004-05-22 10:54.
Ahhh…FINALLY. I’d seen it sooo many times and never ever got off my great big ass to find out its exact meaning or origin or what it stood for, etc. And then I was reading some article on BBC News about the Sasser worm dude and there it is…taunting me…[sic]…kinda like…go on…find out what I mean…you know you want to… …and alas, I acquiesced to its enigmatic charms and now here I am! And the BBC article’s still only half-read ‘cos I’ve just spent God knows how long at this page wading through all this crap. So I’m thinking…mehhh…why not add to the reeds and weeds… …so there you go. What can I say? It’s just my ba [sic] sense of humour.
Submitted by wizzie (not verified) on Sat, 2004-05-22 18:23.
Now… Im (sic)
Submitted by Russ (not verified) on Sun, 2004-05-23 12:15.
Wizzie, yer [sic] friggin’ [sic] killin’[sic] me!!! luv [sic] ya [sic] - mean it
Submitted by Rae (not verified) on Mon, 2004-05-24 07:44.
Now I know, and then some. Now I have to get ready for work. Strange that currently a lot of people want to know what (sic) means when for so long, no one was looking. Something in the air? And for the few who need to be reminded, please take your trash with you. Have a great day.
Submitted by [sic] man (not verified) on Mon, 2004-05-24 12:03.
it’s a [sic] world isn’t it
Submitted by jason (not verified) on Mon, 2004-05-24 22:02.
2 days till the subliminal verses comes out (SIC) SLIPKNOT
Submitted by SBob (not verified) on Tue, 2004-05-25 15:05.
This thread has taught me about sic and, more importantly, the meaning of life itself. Thank you Google.
Submitted by dwilk (not verified) on Wed, 2004-05-26 14:05.
This is [sic] quite funny… LOL [sic] = thus thus = as in as in = [sic] Get it?
Submitted by Clark Kent (not verified) on Wed, 2004-05-26 14:47.
I saw a word mispelled in a newspaper article the other day and saw [sic] next to it. So today I tried using it myself in a message that I writing. I wrote it as (sic) instead of [sic]. Is it correct to use the left and right bracket symbols to enclose sic and incorrect to use the left and right parentheses?
Submitted by SIC of it (not verified) on Thu, 2004-05-27 14:01.
It took me 37 years to look up the word sic. I’m sorry I did. I had to be sic[sic] to read thru[sic] this entire tread[sic]. BTW what DOES et al mean?
Submitted by dev (not verified) on Tue, 2004-06-01 13:09.
‘et al’ is sort of like ‘and all’ like… “I hate the entire Bush administration… George, Dick et al”
Submitted by sam (not verified) on Wed, 2004-06-02 12:04.
phew. been meaning to look this up for 2 years +. now i know. satisfying, eh? —sam.
Submitted by Dave (not verified) on Wed, 2004-06-02 17:14.
I can’t believe that I came across 2 sites discussing the meaning of [sic]. That is jsut [sic]. -Dave
Submitted by sic fuk[sic] (not verified) on Wed, 2004-06-02 17:20.
You know your job is dissatisfying when you should be working and instead you’re reading articles on CNN about 11 year old girls writing to Nordstrom’s about making their teen clothing lines less slutty and then you come across the word [sic] and then google the meaning of [sic] and then you decide to read 2 1/2 years of posts and then add your own.(Should a [sic] be placed after a run-on such as this one if it were a quote? Can a [sic] be used within parentheses as I’ve done here?)
Submitted by Istanbul T (not verified) on Thu, 2004-06-03 09:19.
> Why do golfers take two pairs of pants with them??? > In case they get a hole in one. and just to stay on the subject of [sic]…. > What did the fish say when it swam into a wall??? > Dam!!! [sic]
Submitted by Reggin (not verified) on Sat, 2004-06-05 23:23.
This is the greatest thread of all times. I now know the meaning of [sic], and many other secrets of the universe.