log insign upindirect statement
noun
- A grammatical construction in which the content of a statement is reported without directly quoting the original speaker, often used to convey what someone has said without explicitly stating it.
When she said that her brother mentioned he might join us later, it was an indirect statement about his plans.
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The term ‘indirect statement‘ derives from the practice of conveying information indirectly rather than stating it outright. In linguistic terms, an ‘indirect statement‘ refers to a construction in which the content of a statement is reported or quoted without using the exact words of the speaker, often through a subordinate clause.
The word ‘indirect‘ comes from the Latin ‘indirectus‘, meaning ‘not leading directly to something,‘ itself derived from ‘in-‘ (not) and ‘directus‘ (leading straight or direct). ‘Statement‘ originates from the Latin ‘statere,‘ meaning ‘to set down,‘ which evolved into ‘statement‘ in Middle English as a declaration or expression of an idea.
In grammar, the concept of an indirect statement particularly relates to constructions where a subject and verb convey an assertion rather than quoting someone's words verbatim. This form is particularly noted in languages like Latin, where the use of the accusative and infinitive is a hallmark of reported speech.
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