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There are no words that should never be used in wikipedia articles. However, there are many words and phrases that are good flags for text that is inappropriate for an article, either because it is not neutral or for some other reason. In general, prefer nouns and verbs over adjectives and adverbs.

In general, words or expressions should be avoided that are

1. Ambiguous or non-specific. See also Misplaced Pages:Avoid weasel terms (disputed)

2. Pejorative or offensive

3. Condescending towards the readers or because they "spoonfeed" the reader

4. Flattering or very positive. See also Misplaced Pages:Avoid peacock terms (disputed)

Obvious, etc.

Of course, obviously, clearly, etc. can all sound very condescending. If what you're saying is too obvious to include in the text, then don't include it. (But do state the obvious when it may result in a better article.) If some readers may not know or understand it, don't make them feel uncomfortable using these terms; it is as if you are saying that they are stupid.

Occasionally "of course" can be useful in a step of an explanation if it is really easy to understand, yet, for clarity, useful not to skip. In such a case it keeps the reader from wondering whether the step is as simple as it looks or if there is something behind it.

Subtly advancing certain points of view

Well-meaning, so-called

"Well meaning" and "so-called" could be used to smear without actually including any facts. Note that the alternate use of so-called in introducing a new term does not have this problem.

However

Text like "A asserts Y. However, according to B, Z." can suggest that the latter assertion is truer or better than the former one. Avoid this construction in favor of simply stating: "A asserts Y. Others, including B, believe Z.", although even the simple order of presentation raises concerns about neutrality.

On the other hand, there is no problem with "Before the battle, the generals predicted an easy victory. However, events were to prove them wrong."

Fundamentally

Against use: Statements about what X "fundamentally is" ignore the fact that we create all categories and can do with them as we please. People who prefer different category schemes (i.e. any two people) may disagree about the "fundamental nature" of X, and unless they share some arbitrary set of definitions they can never settle the question.

Naturally

Use naturally for "in a natural manner," such as:

• Plutonium may occur naturally.
• Obsidian is a type of naturally occurring glass.
• Cultural anthropologists assume that human beings are naturally social.

or to indicate an artificial but convenient conceptualization:

• Machiavelli's life falls naturally into three periods.

Do not use naturally for "wouldn't you just know it," such as:

• "Naturally, Protestant critics have jumped on this bandwagon."

Do not use naturally for "without a doubt," such as:

• The point of Brahms's work has naturally been lost by critics.

In certain areas, especially mathematics, the words "natural" or "naturally" have precise technical meanings, which do not carry any other of the usual connotations of the word. For example, one might say that two objects are "naturally isomorphic". This has nothing to do with "words to avoid".

Additionally in mathematics, "natural" and "naturally" are used to indicate a criterion of intuitive quality that a particular definition or theorem possesses, a criterion that is widely considered to be an important way of judging mathematics (cf. Lakatos, MacLane, Rota, Maddy). Attributions of naturality in this sense are at risk of promoting a point of view, but may equally be perfectly uncontroversial statements of mathematical consensus; discretion is the key here, but a danger sign is if a claim is made supported only by an appeal to naturalness, and without reference to an external, published authority.

Linked - relationship

"Linked" is often used to describe terrorist groups, e.g. "the al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Islamiya", but it is ambiguous and may hide a lack of information. Describing two phenomena or entities as "linked" unnecessarily obfuscates their relationship - if more information is available, the relationship should be clearly spelled out; if information is tenuous this should also be made clear. "Linked" may describe a broad range of relationships between two groups, and therefore may make that relationship seem unrealistically strong. Correlated may be a good alternative in case statistical data of two variables has been analyzed.

A similar obfuscating effect sometimes results from the use of the word "relationship", which besides the unclarity contained in the term "linked" adds much more when speaking without further detail about the relationship between human beings. see Lytton Strachey - Dora Carrington example

Statistics

Be careful when presenting and in particular interpreting statistics. Avoid mixing proportions with cardinal numbers, such as in the sentence " In the United Kingdom, 30% of households have pets; 1.5 million of these are dogs." This doesn't tell you about the proportion of dogs to other pets; neither does it tell you the actual number of households with pets. This should not be a problem if you cite your sources.

Another problem phrase is constructions such as "Nazi Germany had set up 300 concentration camps or prisons", or "2,000 civilians killed or injured". In the first, the truth could be 20 concentration camps and ~280 prisons; it is also ambiguous, suggesting that concentration camps are prisons and vice versa. In the second, the truth could be (and sometimes is) 1 killed and ~2,000 injured.

For the same reason the term "casualties" should be used with caution, as it typically refers to the total number of individuals killed or injured.

Misnomers

Myth

The word myth in sociology is a story that is important for a group but not verifiable. Lack of verifiability does not necessarily indicate falsehood; "Hindu myth" may refer to historic events for which no objective record exists.

In common use, myth refers to a story which is believed to be false. And in folkloristic terms, it means the opposite, a sacred narrative which is believed to be true.

Except in rare cases (e.g. urban myth), the common meaning should neither be used, nor assumed. Myth is perfectly valid in an article about religious beliefs; however, do not use phrases such as "evolution is a myth." A proper use would be "The Descent of Man was one of the central myths in 20th century biology", but even this statement cannot be used in an article without establishing the context of sociology, lest the reader think this statement asserts that contemporary opinion holds the book to be complete speculation or false propaganda (which is not the intent).

Sometimes people object to the use of myth to describe stories which they believe strongly in. One should be careful to avoid implying that a myth may be invalid.

Theory

Theory is a word which has similarly lost its precise meaning in common use. In science, a theory is an explanation of nature which is consistent with the available scientific evidence and supported by repeatable experiments. Theories predict the outcomes of specific situations. Except in mathematics (or other mathematical sciences, such as theoretical physics or theoretical computer science), a theory cannot be proven to be correct. However, confidence in a theory can be reinforced by experimentations, the results of which fit the theory. A theory may be disproven if it is contradicted by observations.

Scientific theories such that the confidence in them is so high that nobody reasonably doubts their validity are sometimes referred to as "laws" or even "facts". An example is the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

A common misperception is that a theory is "only a guess", which is mainly a misunderstanding about the development of theories. A theory is not only an educated guess, but the best explanation according to available knowledge.

Do not use theory to mean guess or speculation.

Categories

Cult

The word 'cult' itself is very controversial, and has several different meanings and has very negative connotations. In general it should be avoided--don't say "X is a cult", say "so and so has called X a 'cult' because...". If the author wants to indicate that there is something wrong with a group by applying the cult label then the article in Misplaced Pages should focus on the question of what is wrong with the group.

Some of the exceptions to this rule of thumb is the technical use this term has in sociology, which is quite neutral (i.e. small religious group with novel religious beliefs and a high degree of tension with the surrounding society). However, the author shouldn't use the term in that sense without explaining exactly what he/she is doing, since that meaning is unfamiliar to most people. The adjective "cultic" (cultic group, cultic behavior) is in such cases preferable, as it is used in sociological context referring to the technical meaning but rarely in everyday language referring to the everyday meaning of cult.

A good alternative would be to use the term new religious movement, coined by Eileen Barker, though some groups that are accused of being a cult are not religious.

The word 'sect' is far more neutral and inoffensive, as it doesn't imply novelty or tension but has a different meaning. There are lots of sects: Sufis, Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, etc., that aren't very novel (some, in fact, avoid novelty altogether) and don't make anyone else very tense. Often, sects follow guidelines that undergo some slow modification over time while cults follow charismatic leaders or doctrines in writing that never changes, giving all power to the person currently editing the dictionary.

Some people assert that yesterday's cults are today's mainstream religions. Christianity was considered a cult by the Roman Empire in the 1st Century. Falun Gong and some branches of Christianity are considered cults by the Chinese government. Scientology was considered a cult in the USA at one time and is still considered a cult by many in and outside the USA; the German national government has imposed measures on Scientology's freedom. In general, any new belief system clashes with the "tried and true" extant system in place within a social or religious order. (However, some relatively young Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christian denominations call the Catholic Church a cult. What's at stake is the power to pass judgement on what beliefs are considered "mainstream" or "true".)

For interest's sake, in French, culte means worship, and secte means both sect and cult. The same applies to Dutch and German languages with the words cultus, sekte, Kult(-us) and Sekte. See false friend.

Terrorist

There appears to be consensus that the words terrorism and terrorist can (and should) be used where there is a verifiable and cited indication of who is calling a person or group terrorist. However, that agreement only extends insofar as the article makes it clear who is calling them a terrorist, and that the word does not appear to be used, unqualified, by the narrative voice of the article.

Many of the objections to this term have focused on characterizing a person or organization as terrorist. The objections to this term seem to be less widespread when it referring to an act as terrorist.

Examples

Clearly within consenus:

Shining Path is on the U.S. Department of State's "Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations" list. Peru, the United Kingdom and the European Union likewise regard Shining Path as a terrorist group.

Controversial, possibly within consenus:

Two days later, after a rapid military response, the Shining Path terrorists abandoned the hostages.

Almost certainly against consensus:

Shining Path is a terrorist group.

Abimael Guzmán, leader of the Shining Path terrorists…

Arguments for describing an entity as "terrorist"

• It's a legitimate word with well-defined meaning. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, textbooks on political science, etc. will readily provide definitions. So will most governments, who tend to see it as something like "doing bodily harm for political reasons without actually being a government." When governments accuse each other of "state terror" you are over the line into political science and no definition will help you.
• The fact that most groups called "terrorist" deny such accusations is not relevant to the fact that they are indeed terrorist (if they are, under a given definition). A comparison with the word "pseudo-science", which has been used in Misplaced Pages, might be illuminating.
• Unlike traditional media, Misplaced Pages can fully explore the semantic nuances of words. In fact, terrorism is a good example; it's cross-linked to asymmetric warfare and doublespeak and guerrilla and assassin, etc. Instead of censoring ourselves, which would lead to a neurotic project (since it would have a rule which is in direct conflict with its mission), we can provide more information, better information, etc. Instead of simply calling someone a terrorist, we can say why we're doing that--say exactly who is calling whom a terrorist, etc.
• The term does not reflect a bias towards any political orientation, as it refers to the methods and not to the opinions and beliefs shared by the terrorist group. For example, both left-wing groups trying to conduct revolution and right-wing racist groups trying to stop immigration may be termed terrorist.
• The fact that the term is often misused does not mean that it should not be used at all.

Arguments against describing an entity as "terrorist"

• There is no strict definition in use worldwide.
• Any definition that could be agreed upon in, say, English-speaking countries would be biased towards those countries.
• Most groups called "terrorist" deny such accusations. Virtually no organisation openly calls itself terrorist.
• Many groups call all their enemies "terrorist".
• There is no hope that we will ever all agree who is "terrorist" and who is not.
• The term as widely used in the West reflects a bias towards the status quo. Violence by established governments is sold as "defence", even when that claim is dubious indeed; any attempt to oppose the established order through military means, however, is often labelled "terrorism".
• There are many groups that some people call "terrorist", but embracing such labels would be very controversial, for example:
  • State of Israel
  • States of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban
  • United States and CIA
  • Contemporary Palestine Liberation Organization
  • Groups conducting revolution, such as the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), are routinely denigrated as "terrorist"
  • Almost all guerrilla groups (like Tamil Tigers or Chechen rebels) are accused of being "terrorist"
  • Almost all guerrilla groups accuse countries they fight against of being "terrorist"
  • Organizations such as the American Revolutionary Sons of Liberty—revered in the Unites States—might have been considered "terrorists" by today's standards, which suggests the standards for applying the label are not consistent.
  • Resistance movement during World War II. Some historians even claim that resistance in Poland used biological weapons.
  • All forms of colonization which exposed indigenous peoples to diseases they had no immunity to, especially if they were vaguely aware they were doing it.

Legends

"As legend has it..." is often a screen for lazy research or bogus invented "legends" (some of which are harmless in intention). Pin down your source: "An early legend in Favola's life of St. Sancta..." etc. Unattributed passive voice is a slippery substitute for "legends": "Dumbo is thought to have..." This is a special case of weasel words.

Fundamentalist

Originally, the word meant "one who rejects ritual and follows the fundamentals (main beliefs) of their religion". However, the meaning has shifted in popular use to mean "religious fanatic" as well as the original meaning. This sense is also sometimes used in the media and by critics of specific religions. A fundamentalist is not necessarily an extremist, or even particularly morally strict.

The word should be primarily used for those people or sects which are self-described fundamentalists (of which there are many). If a group does not do so, it is better to use their own self-description, within the limits of reasonableness, or to use a more specific description. On the other hand, if a group is described by another person or group as fundamentalist, then that should be stated.

Hard and Far

As political descriptors; for example, "Jörg Haider's Far-Right 'Freedom Party'" or "Derek Hatton, the Hard-Left 'Militant' politician". The two words are relative value judgements, and do not in themselves describe a political party's policies or viewpoint; merely that they are, or are perceived to be, greatly at variance with the imagined neutral point of the writer.

As an example: Jean-Marie Le Pen's National Front party is described by almost all commentators outside of the party as being "far right", but denies this qualification. This has to be documented as such in the article of that party. However, it may be admissible, for the sake of brevity and given the overwhelming preponderance of terminology, to refer to the Front or Front politicians as "far right" in other articles, if some quick indication of its political position is necessary.

Bad Form

Controversy

Separating all the controversial aspects of a topic into a single section results in a very tortured form of writing, especially a back-and-forth dialogue between "proponents" and "opponents". It also creates a hierarchy of fact - the main passage is "true" and "undisputed", whereas the rest are "controversial" and therefore more likely to be false, an implication that may often be inappropriate.

Since many of the topics in an encyclopedia will inevitably encounter controversy, editors should attempt to write in a manner that folds debates into the narrative rather than "distilling" them out into a separate section.

"Amusingly" / "Ironically"

These words are often used as declarations, in the context of a quote by a historical figure, or as an observation on the perceived humour or irony of a historical consequence. In both cases they tend strongly to be a statement of opinion rather than of objective fact; in the former case, who is amused? And in the latter case, how is the statement or event ironic? Was the humour or irony intentional? Was it perceived as amusing or ironic at the time, or only in retrospect? All of these factors must be borne in mind.

Synonyms for "say"

Editors sometimes create bias, intentionally or unintentionally, by using loaded synonyms for the verb "to say." Some common examples:

• point out, note: Point out and note are often used to elevate one side in a dispute by bestowing extra weight on its arguments. Sometimes these words are used to give unproven, unprovable, or subjective statements a gloss of authority: "Critics of contingent fees point out that many lawsuits seem to be brought only to generate fees for lawyers without giving any benefit to the vast majority of clients." At other times, they are used to introduce statements that may indeed be factual, but which opponents may not consider important or relevant: "Opponents note that a requirement to carry an identity card at all times can lead to arbitrary requests from the police." Observe (as in "Critics observe...") is also sometimes used to the same effect.
• claim: Claim is sometimes used to the opposite effect, to create the impression that a statement is disputed without actually citing anyone or anything that contradicts the claim: "Bush claimed that the Patriot Act had been used to bring charges against more than 400 suspects, more than half of whom had been convicted."
• insist, maintain, protest: Words like insist, maintain, and protest can make the party appear defensive. "Salafis insist that Salafism is not a purely Arabian movement, and regard some clerics and scholars outside Arabia as proto-Salafis or Salafi-influenced."

As a rule, when a statement is unproven or subjective, or when a factual assertion is made without contradiction, use a form of the word say:

Critics of contingent fees say that many lawsuits seem to be brought only to generate fees for lawyers without giving any benefit to the vast majority of clients.

When a statement is basically factual but its importance may be disputed, consider using argue instead:

Opponents argue that a requirement to carry an identity card at all times can lead to arbitrary requests from the police.

Although editors sometimes use these and similar words to intentionally influence the sympathies of the reader, in many cases they may simply be the result of well-intentioned editors looking for a way to avoid using the word said, which they may perceive as dull or overused. Beginning writers are often taught that said is an "invisible word": you may think you're overusing it, because you're the one who has to type it 20 times in a row, but your readers probably won't even notice it. They will notice, however, if you try to correct the "problem" by inflicting increasingly outlandish synonyms ("exclaimed," "sighed," "hissed," etc.) on them. If you absolutely must avoid "said," look for creative ways to rephrase the sentence:

According to Mayor Bimbsly, "t's simply a matter of faith."

There was no way, as Charlie put it, to "take the final fall."

The official reason appeared in a later press release: "There will not be a trial due to poor response from Asia."

Words that mean the opposite in UK and US English

A small number of words mean the opposite in UK English to what they do in US English. These should be avoided where possible. Where this is not possible, a brief explanation of which meaning of the word should be given. Examples of this include: public school, to table, and trapezium. (See List of words having different meanings in British and American English.)

See also

• Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style especially Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (dates and numbers).
• Power word
• Profanity

• Misplaced Pages how-to
• Misplaced Pages style guidelines