I refute ‘refute’

The phrase ‘I refute’ has started to show up a lot in submissions and witness statements. People use it to mean ‘I deny such and such a thing.’

This is a bad idea. ‘Refute’ is one of those language fault-lines, similar to ‘disinterested’ vs ‘uninterested’ and whether you should ever split an infinitive. While it is common to use it to mean ‘I deny’, many people think it can only properly be used to mean ‘I disprove’.

This is the difference between saying ‘Such and such has been asserted, but I have proved that it must be false’ and ‘So and so says this happened, but I disagree.’

Personally, I am with the Old Guard on this one. But even if you are not, I suggest avoiding using ‘refute’ in this way. Firstly, there is the risk of confusion about what you mean, which is always undesirable. Secondly, the tribunal is quite likely to disagree with you and so may have a flicker of irritation at what they regard as a mistake.

Finally, saying ‘I refute this’ when you mean ‘This is not true’ means that you are using an obscure term in preference to a common one that means the same thing. This is never a good idea and will make your writing harder to read and less compelling.

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