PensiveApe

Methodology and editorial policy

Source trail first. Authority second.

PensiveApe is designed as a learning tool and research starting point. It helps readers notice older meanings, root clues, and source paths. It should not be treated as a final scholarly citation unless the word entry shows exact source citations, confidence notes, and enough metadata to verify the claim directly.

Evidence Levels

  • Attested meaning: a meaning tied to a historical dictionary, corpus, or dated quotation.
  • Citation lead: a source name or entry pointer that still needs exact page, entry, or URL verification.
  • Reconstructed root: a scholarly comparison, useful for learning but weaker than direct attestation.

Source Tiers

  • Tier 1: primary historical dictionaries and scholarly etymological references.
  • Tier 2: authoritative older dictionaries, corpora, and specialist reference works.
  • Tier 3: modern dictionaries and educational references used for orientation.
  • Tier 4: supplementary or community sources, never enough on their own.

What We Show

Word entries should show the source name, evidence status, confidence label, and, when available, exact sense citations. If exact citations are missing, the page should say so plainly instead of implying final authority.

What We Avoid

  • Unsupported numeric claims without nearby citations.
  • Conflating reconstructed Proto-Indo-European roots with directly attested English meanings.
  • Turning folk etymologies, mnemonic stories, or source leads into settled claims.

Editorial Position

PensiveApe can be cited as a teaching aid or discovery tool. For academic papers, journalism, legal work, or classroom handouts that require formal citation, cite the underlying dictionary, corpus, or primary text shown on the word entry.