The word "equivocates," pronounced /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪts/ (ih-KWIV-uh-kayts), is spelled with the Latin root "equi-" which means "equal" and the word "vocare," meaning "to call." The "-ate" at the end of the word indicates that it is a verb. The phonetic transcription of this word illustrates that the stress falls on the second syllable, and the "c" is pronounced as a soft "s" sound. "Equivocates" means to use ambiguous language with the intention of deceiving or obscuring the truth.
Equivocates is a verb that refers to the act of using ambiguous or unclear language in order to deceive or mislead others, usually with the intention of avoiding making a definite statement or taking a clear position on a particular issue. It involves intentionally giving multiple interpretations or meanings to one's words, often resulting in a lack of clarity or honesty.
People who equivocate commonly employ this tactic in order to maintain a sense of flexibility or to avoid commitment to a particular stance or opinion. It can be observed in various contexts, such as politics, law, or personal relationships, where individuals may deliberately obscure their true intentions or evade accountability for their statements. By equivocating, one can seem to address an issue while actually avoiding giving clear answers or taking a decisive position.
Equivocation can be seen as a deceptive communication strategy, as it can lead others to misunderstand or misinterpret the speaker's true intentions or beliefs. It can be a frustrating tactic, as it undermines honest and open communication, making it difficult for others to establish trust or accurately comprehend the speaker's message.
In summary, when someone equivocates, they are deliberately using ambiguous or unclear language to deceive or mislead others, often with the aim of avoiding a direct and clear statement.
* 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 "equivocates" is derived from the Latin word "aequivocatus", which is the past participle of the verb "aequivocare". This Latin term consists of two parts: "aequi" meaning "equal" or "the same", and "vocare" meaning "to call" or "to speak". Thus, "aequivocare" can be translated as "to call or speak equally" or "to use ambiguous language". Over time, this Latin term evolved into the English word "equivocate", which means to intentionally use ambiguous or unclear language to deceive or mislead others. The plural form of "equivocate" is "equivocates", which simply indicates multiple instances of someone equivocating.