Selon

Selon is a French preposition meaning “according to” or “in the view of.” It introduces the source of information, testimony, or opinion and serves to attribute statements to a person, group, document, or authority. The usual construction is selon + noun or noun phrase, and it can also introduce reported content with phrases like selon ce que or selon ce qu’on dit: for example, Selon les experts, … or Selon ce que disent les témoins, …. The source can be singular or plural: selon le rapport, selon les statistiques. The expression is common in formal writing, journalism, law, and academic prose.

Etymology and usage notes: selon comes from Latin secundum, via Old French and evolving forms such as selon or selon, meaning “according to” or “following.” The choice between selon and d’après can convey nuance: selon emphasizes the authority or origin of the statement, while d’après is often used for indirect quotation or information from a source that may be secondary or informal.

Context and translations: in English, the equivalent is “according to.” In French, selon is versatile across domains, including reporting, analysis, and argumentation. It can introduce opinions, conclusions, or data from authorities, documents, or observers, making it a common tool for presenting sourced information in a neutral, attributive way.