Why do you put [sic] after a misspelled word rather than just correct it?

Answer 1

"Sic is a Latin word meaning "thus", "so", or "just as that". In writing, it is placed within square brackets and usually italicized — [sic] — to indicate that an incorrect or unusual spelling, phrase, punctuation, and/or other preceding quoted material is a verbatim reproduction of the quoted original and is not a transcription error."

Answer 2

The word "sic" means thus in Latin and was also used for "yes". When you are quoting the original words of another person, you must stick to the script and resist the urge to change a mis-spelled or misused word. To indicate that this was what the original contained and not a mistake by yourself, you write "sic". It is also permissible to add sic when you are paraphrasing the remarks of somebody else and want to make the point that certain, perhaps surprising, expressions were actually used by the person concerned and are not merely your gloss on things. For example, if you were reporting a remark made by the late President Kennedy during a speech in Berlin, you might have written: "The President said that he was a doughnut" (sic), otherwise the reader might be forgiven for thinking that you were very strange!

Answer 3

You don't use "sic" in your own work -- only when there is an error in something that you are quoting.

For example:

In last night's newspaper, John Smith is quoted as having said, "President Buch (sic) is going home to Texas this weekend."

Answer 4

the above answer is exactly correct, though a little heavily-worded.

basically, it means "this is how it appeared."

so, if you were quoting dan quayle, you'd say "eat this potatoe [sic]." to say "eat this potato" would not be an accurate quote, because that's not how he spelled it.

Answer 5

Because then that's changing what originally was said and, for some things (especially literature) it's important to keep things identical.　When you quote things, you are implying they were said to you in the *exact* manner that you are now presenting them.
For example, a book I read called "The Rat" would lose all its personality if I were to correct (into modern English) what the She-rat says.

Answer 6

All of the above answers are correct. But sometimes it's done for spite and malice as well.

Answer 7

Because it means that it's a quote from somewhere and it's demonstrating that the person who wrote it, spelt it that way.

In Latin it means 'so' or 'thus'.

Answer 8

Yes, I know, I hate that, too! Or usually they will put [sp?] on forums and message boards when there is a ABC spellchecker right there!