american dialogues: be careful with that loaded verb

This is a simple post with a simple point. It’s worth highlighting to students that news reports of who said what might appear to be objective, but the words used to describe conversations and disagreements carry a lot of baggage. Consider the nuances of these different verbs:

  • acknowledged
  • added
  • advised
  • agreed
  • alleged
  • answered
  • argued
  • asserted
  • assumed
  • assured
  • attributed
  • believed
  • claimed
  • confirmed
  • contended
  • conveyed
  • counseled
  • denied
  • derided
  • disagreed
  • joked
  • lamented
  • leaked
  • muttered
  • noted
  • pointed out
  • promised
  • proved
  • purported
  • quipped
  • reassured
  • recounted
  • refused
  • refuted
  • rejected
  • responded
  • said
  • shouted
  • stated
  • suggested
  • theorized
  • wrote
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