| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
| |
| allege (v.), alleged (adj.), allegedly (adv.) |
| |
| |
| There are two l’s in allege and no medial -dg- cluster (a frequent misspelling). Allege has just two syllables, alleged two or sometimes three (uh-LEJD or uh-LEJ-id), and allegedly has four. The adjective has drawn most of the usage discussion: an alleged criminal has been accused but not yet convicted of a crime. Some also question whether a crime can be alleged (we’re not sure a crime has been committed) or whether only persons can have the adjective fastened on them: the alleged murderer, but not the alleged murder. The media have so often applied the adjective both ways in order to avoid the legal penalties that might be imposed on them for prejudging a matter not yet decided that both uses have become Standard today. Suspected is applied to someone about whom neither allegations nor formal charges have yet been made. Compare ACCUSED; SUSPECTED. | 1 |
| |
| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
|
|
