Checking A Quote Against Its Full Context
Launch library · evergreen read
A short quotation can be entirely accurate word for word and still manage to misrepresent what was actually said, simply by leaving out the sentence before or after it. Trimming context this way is one of the gentlest forms of distortion available, precisely because nothing quoted has technically been changed by the person sharing it.
Checking a quote properly means looking for the fuller passage or recording it originally came from, not just the excerpt currently being shared around. Pay close attention to qualifying words nearby, such as 'however' or 'on the other hand', which are exactly the kind of phrase a tight excerpt tends to conveniently cut away.
When the fuller context is not readily available, it is reasonable to hold the quote loosely rather than treat it as fully settled. A quote you cannot verify in its original context is really only a claim about what was said, not confirmation of it having been said that way.