Zkreslovat

Zkreslovat is a Czech verb meaning to distort, skew, or misrepresent information, data, or imagery. It covers acts that alter the perceived truth of a representation, whether intentionally or due to bias, error, or misinterpretation. In journalism, statistics, and media literacy discussions, zkreslovat is used to describe practices that lead to a misleading impression, such as selective reporting, cherry-picking data, or misleading visualizations. The imperfective form denotes ongoing or repeated distortion, while the perfective form zkreslit refers to the completion of such distortion.

Etymology and morphology: The verb is formed with the prefix z- and the stem kreslovat, related to the longer verb kreslit (to draw). The exact historical development is debated, but the sense evolved from altering how something is drawn or presented to broader misrepresentation. Common related nouns include zkreslení (distortion) and zkreslování (the act of distorting).

In usage, zkreslovat is common in discussions of data integrity, political communication, and media criticism. It is often contrasted with accurate reporting and transparent data presentation.