What does (sic) mean in a post?

It indicates an incorrect spelling.

As I understand it, if quoting directly a misspelled word (sic) is place behind the word to show it was spelled incorrectly in the original document. In other words, it covers the reporters butt who was quoting a document with a misspelled word.

It can also stand for said incorrectly if quoting in writing from a verbal source.

hmmm, weird because from what you guys are saying it wouldnt make sense in the post i am looking at, but im not saying you guys are wrong

ah… My Apologies!

Somehow, I thought the word “skier” was supposed to be spelled with two i‘s. (Not that it really matters, people can spell their names however they want).

haha yeah, no prob, and thanks for pointing out my mistake, i was trying to remember a rumor i briefly skimmed over and i just slipped up big time. i went back and read my post, and i was like wow, big mistake

@skier: It happens sometimes that the word was originally incorrect but the publication placed the correct spelling in the new document but they note (sic) allowing the reader to know that in the original the word was said or spelled wrong. For instance, some publications have the standard of changing the word “ain“t” to “isn’t” and putting sic behind it.

Why don’t you give us a look-see at the post…or is too naughty???

oh yeah. it makes sense now though. it was actually robmandu who posted ”@waterskier (sic),...” because he thought waterskier was spelled wrong but he corrected himself here and in that original topic. i could have just asked about (sic) there but i felt that other people might wonder it to so i made it a question

it is definitely too naughty

It can also be used to denote intentional misspellings and grammatical errors, such as “e.e. cummings”

ive always been taught (sp) for spelling errors

U wr tot rong. (sic)

THE LIESSSSSSS THE LIESSSSSS i hate when you find out something youve “known” your whole life is just wrong.

@uber, I think (sp) or (sp?) is typically used by the author himself to denote that he’s not certain of the spelling.

Wikipedia to the rescue!

@Bronx Wikipedia rescued in the first response ^__^

I remember gail giving a very good description in another thread, but I couldn’t find it. Hopefully she will see this and reply again.

I also remember reading some blog post by someone who apparently had read “sic” somewhere and used it himself without knowing what it meant, assuming it to mean “sick”. Like “wow, he drove into a wall at extremely high speed! (sic!)” That was lame… :)