Opinion versus Fact

[nagendra82]

What words make a sentence an opinion?

[Kingaroo]

Sometimes there are words that make it clear. For example in the sentence
I think that's an ugly dog" the sentence begins with "I think," which signals that the following statement will be an opinion. (But not always.)

However, most of the time there's no clear signal. There's no word phrase to tell you, you just have to judge the content of the sentences.
There are three dogs on the lawn. - Fact
There are three big dogs on the lawn. - Fact
The middle dog is biggest. - Fact
The small dog is ugliest. - Opinion
Dogs shouldn't be allowed on the lawn. - Opinion
I think the brown dog belongs to Mr. Smith. - Fact
I think dogs are disgusting. - Opinion
Mr. Smith mistreats his dogs. - Might be either one!

[helghast]

a few problems with what you just said kingaroo.

1. there are three big dogs on the lawn. you said 'big', but size is an opinion. Big compared to what? what makes a dog described as small/big.

2. i think the brown dog belongs to Mr. Smith. this sentence includes the words 'I think' and you said it was a fact, yet just above you said that if the sentence contains those words then it is an opinion. the sentence should be 'the brown dog belongs to Mr. Smith.

[bernardo]

It could be that a sentence like "I think the brown dog belongs to Mr Smith" is the statement of the fact of the opinion of the speaker, i.e. it is a fact that the speaker thinks that the brown dog belongs to Mr Smith.

Some languages have different verb (mood) forms to indicate whether a statement is based on direct observation, hearsay, third-hand reporting, historical, myth, etc.

In poetic or dramatic or rhetorical situations, special effect could be made for comedy or political purposes when a speaker deliberately confuses the different types.  e.g. "It is obvious that X should be banned" or "Mr Howard claims to be the leader of the opposition" or "Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough / It isn't fit for humans now" etc.

[nagendra82]

Thank you for your responses. i highly appreciate that. I am looking to automate the process of identifying statements of fact in a body of text, say an essay. So i was looking for a coprus of such words which make the sentence an opinion against a fact. It would be great if you could help me finding such a corpus of words. Like I found a corpus of value words which make a sentence an opinion. I am looking for more such words. thank you.