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An illustration of a weasel using "weasel words". In this case, "some people" are a vague and undefined authority. In rhetoric, a weasel word, or anonymous authority, is a word or phrase aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague, ambiguous, or irrelevant claim has been communicated.
Weasel words are words and phrases aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated. A common form of weasel wording is through vague attribution, where a statement is dressed with authority, yet has no substantial basis. Phrases such as ...
Some people say the quintessential example of weasel words is the phrase "Some people say". Some encyclopedias have style guides entitled avoid weasel words which strongly discourage the use of weasel words. However, there are editors [who?] who think that weasel words are helpful and absolutely appropriate in some cases. These editors believe ...
The current logic goes like this: Vague phrases are bad. 'Weasel words' are sort of vague, let us call it that. Look, 'weasel words' are in the dictionary. 'Weasel words' in the dictionary says, 'intentionally vague for the purposes of misleading', let us call it that. See the mistake? It is all very well to look up 'weasel words' in the ...
When reporting claims and opinions, so-called "weasel words" tend to crop up, like "some believe", and "others claim", which should always be avoided. Replace the weasel words with names of people, institutions, or publications, and cite the source of your claim. See Wikipedia:Avoid weasel words.
But in the general case, as user:Ramir points out, it might be a syntactical construction, or an implication, or the order of certain words or syllables which creates ambiguities. Use of "a weasel word" differs from using "weasel words", and from weasel-wording, or weasel-wordiness.
Trump biographer Tim O’Brien ripped it as “Word Salad” or “The Crazy.” Translation: “I call it ‘The Weave.’ Everyone else calls it ‘Word Salad’ or ‘The Crazy.’” pic ...
I do not see why an encyclopedia must be more verbose for the sake of in-sentence attribution for every statement. Neutrality is not a given in an environment where weasel words are banned, Attribution to sources with undue weight is a problem which violates the Neutrality policy but fits entirely within the Avoid weasel words guideline.