The spelling of the word "alleged" has been a source of confusion for many people. This word is pronounced /əˈlɛdʒd/ with a short "e" sound in the second syllable, unlike words such as "legend" or "pledge" which have a long "e" sound. This is due to the fact that "alleged" is derived from the verb "allege" which has the same pronunciation. The spelling "alleged" has been in use since the 16th century, but it is still commonly misspelled as "allegged".
Alleged is an adjective that is used to describe an assertion, claim, or accusation made about someone or something which is currently unproven or lacking concrete evidence. It suggests that a particular statement or incident has been reported or claimed, but its veracity is yet to be confirmed or established beyond doubt. This term is generally employed when there is uncertainty or doubt surrounding the truthfulness or validity of an accusation, crime, or event.
The word alleged is commonly used in legal and journalistic contexts, indicating that the information presented is based on preliminary evidence or claims, rather than proven facts. As such, it is crucial to acknowledge that the alleged status of a statement or action maintains the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. It denotes that an individual or organization has been accused or implicated in something, yet the veracity of those claims remains uncertain, contested, or under investigation.
The use of "alleged" is associated with caution and a willingness to acknowledge that the information being discussed may not be completely accurate or backed by solid evidence. Its inclusion helps to emphasize the distinction between allegations and substantiated facts, preserving the principle of fair reporting and impartiality. It serves as a reminder to approach the subject matter with skepticism until more evidence is presented or a legal judgment is reached.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "alleged" derives from the late Middle English term "allege", which came from the Old French word "aleguer" or "alleguer". The Old French word originated from the Latin term "allegare", made up of the prefix "ad-" (meaning "to") and the verb "legare" (meaning "to send forth or depute"). Initially, "allege" meant "to cite as evidence or proof" in English. Over time, the suffix "-ed" was added to create the past participle form "alleged", which is commonly used today to indicate something that is claimed or stated but not proven.