Nontrue

Nontrue is a neologism used in certain discussions of truth, rhetoric, and discourse to describe statements that are presented as true but do not meet conventional criteria for truth in a given context. It is distinct from untruth or falsehood, emphasizing a mismatch between asserted truth claims and the evidence, justification, or conditions ordinarily required for truth.

Etymology and scope: The term combines the prefix non- with true, but it remains informal and not widely standardized. It appears primarily in niche scholarly writing, critical theory, and media studies, where analysts examine how claims are framed as truth within specific communities, institutions, or genres. It is not a staple term in mainstream analytic philosophy or epistemology.

Usage and interpretation: In analysis, a nontrue claim may circulate as a credible-seeming truth within a discourse due to authority, norms, audiences, or selective evidence, even though broader scrutiny would undermine its truth status. The concept helps illuminate how truth can be socially constructed or performative, rather than simply reflective of objective states of affairs.

Relation to other concepts: Nontrue sits near discussions of misinformation, propaganda, and post-truth. It also interacts with ideas about truth-claims, justification, and epistemic authority. It should not be confused with formal logical notions of truth or with established terms like nontruth in logic, which have different technical meanings.

See also: misinformation, propaganda, epistemology, rhetoric, post-truth. Notes: Nontrue is a derived, nonstandard term used in limited scholarly contexts; readers should consult specific works where it appears to understand its intended scope and usage.