sahiplie

Sahiplie is a term used in discourse analysis to describe a deceptive communication technique in which a speaker presents a claim as truth while signaling uncertainty or partial knowledge, blending elements of credibility with manipulation.

The name Sahiplie is a portmanteau coined by researchers to reflect the paradox of presenting falsehoods as truths.

It emerged in studies of online misinformation and political rhetoric during the late 2010s and early 2020s, used to categorize statements that combine plausible detail with misleading or invented elements.

Key features include hedged language (for example, "some say"), appeals to authority or "experts" without verifiable sources, attribution to anonymous or dubious origins, selective disclosure, and personal anecdotes that obscure falsity.

An example would be a post claiming, "A renowned scientist has confirmed this, but I’ll wait for official publication," which implies credibility while withholding verifiable evidence.

Related concepts include misinformation, disinformation, gaslighting, and false attribution; sahiplie is distinguished by the ongoing blend of tentativeness and asserted credibility.