stated otherwise.
"Stated otherwise," when used at the very beginning of a sentence, is a pompous version of "in other words." E.g.: "Stated otherwise [read 'In other words'], while conservatives contend UDI by Quebec after a victorious Yes vote would be revolutionary and seditious, pragmatists claim Ottawa's refusal to heed the clearly expressed wishes of a majority in the province would be dictatorial." Louis-Philippe Rochon, "Two Federalist Solitudes," Montreal Gaz., 16 Oct. 1996, at B3.
But toward the end of a sentence, the phrase is often quite natural (in the sense "disagreed") — e.g.:
o "The FAA, airport management and controllers say the airport is safe, and that the flying public has little to worry about, though union representatives stated otherwise less than two weeks ago." Cheryl Meyer, "Trouble in the Tower," Lancaster New Era, 3 Mar. 1997, at A1.
o "Press accounts stated otherwise." Jo Mannies, "'Finally' — Haas Revels in His Victory," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7 Apr. 1997, at C2.
For information about the Language-Change Index, click here.
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Quotation of the Day: "There is no such thing as a clear message delivered in a confused style; the message is the style and the style is the message." Dwight Macdonald, "A Note on Style," in Discriminations 390 (1974).
