TENDENTIOUS Meaning and
Definition
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Tendentious is an adjective that describes something or someone expressing or promoting a particular perspective, opinion, or bias, often with an underlying intention to persuade or influence others. It signifies a tendency to conform to a specific ideology, agenda, or point of view rather than presenting an objective or balanced analysis.
When used to describe written or spoken works, tendentious implies a deliberate slant or partiality towards a specific position, usually with the intention of appealing to certain emotions or preconceived beliefs. Such works often prioritize supporting evidence that aligns with the author's or speaker's predisposed viewpoint while downplaying or ignoring contradictory evidence.
Tendentiousness can manifest in various forms, including political speeches, propaganda, readings from specific religious texts, opinionated editorials, biased news reporting, or selective presentation of data or statistics. It is important to be aware of tendentious sources and arguments when seeking balanced and unbiased information.
Consequently, tendentious is often used as a critical term to highlight biased or propaganda-driven communication that aims to guide or manipulate public opinion. Recognizing the tendentious nature of information is crucial in pursuing objective analysis and decision-making based on well-rounded knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of various perspectives.
Common Misspellings for TENDENTIOUS
Etymology of TENDENTIOUS
The word "tendentious" originated from the Latin word "tendere", which means "to stretch" or "to lean towards". It came into English language usage in the late 19th century, primarily through the field of philosophy.
The term was first used by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who used a variant of the word, "tendenz", to refer to the inclination or bias present in a person's thinking or argumentation. From Nietzsche, the word "tendenz" entered the English language as "tendentious", retaining its original meaning of having a predisposed purpose, bias, or tendency.
Today, "tendentious" is used to describe something that exhibits a strong and partisan point of view, often with an agenda or a predisposition towards a particular outcome or perspective.
Similar spelling words for TENDENTIOUS
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