nierzetelny

Nierzetelny is a Polish adjective describing something or someone as not reliable or not trustworthy. It is used for information, statements, sources, or actions that do not meet standards of accuracy, thoroughness, or honesty. The term often carries a sense of insufficiency in reporting or competence rather than deliberate malice.

Etymology and related terms: nierzetelny is formed from the adjective rzetelny with the negating prefix nie-. The corresponding nouns are rzetelność (reliability, thoroughness) and nierzetelność (unreliability). Related but more specialized terms include wiarygodny (credible) and rzetelny (reliable). In everyday language, nierzetelny can describe both people and material such as articles, research, data, or audits.

Usage and nuances: nierzetelny is commonly used in journalism, academia, law, and business to label sources or work that proves unreliable, poorly sourced, or inconsistent. It can imply insufficient diligence, bias, or misrepresentation, but does not necessarily denote intentional wrongdoing; the focus is on credibility and accuracy. It is generally contrasted with rzetelny or wiarygodny. In some contexts, nierzetelność is criticized as a quality deficiency or breach of professional standards.

Examples:

- To źródło okazało się nierzetelne. (That source proved unreliable.)

- Artykuł zawiera nierzetelne dane i wprowadza w błąd. (The article contains unreliable data and misleads.)

- Redakcja potwierdziła nierzetelność raportu. (The newsroom confirmed the unreliability of the report.)

See also: rzetelność, rzetelny, wiarygodny, nieuczciwy, źródło.