Academic English - Claim and Maintain

[Tedwonny]

I'd like to confirm if the following is/are(?) right?


1) When we say XXX (2001) claims that ... It implies that later, we will argue against the claim in some way. Therefore, the reporting verb 'claim' is somewhat negative.


2) maintain is the same as claim but it is rather neutral. It just means "to express firmly your belief that something is true" (Cambridge dictionaries online). So, I can say, XX(2001) maintains... without any follow-up of any sort such as agreeing or disagreeing with the statement.

THANK YOU

 

[emsr2d2]

In 2001, Mr Smith claimed that he had been burgled. In 2005, he maintained that he had been burgled in 2001. In 2009, he admitted that he made it up and that he had never been burgled.

The above is one possible use of the words. However, it is also possible that he claimed to have been burgled in 2001 and at some point later, it was proven to be true [and perhaps the burglar was caught!]

 

[Raymott]

I'd like to confirm if the following is/are(?) right?


1) When we say XXX (2001) claims that ... It implies that later, we will argue against the claim in some way. Therefore, the reporting verb 'claim' is somewhat negative.


2) maintain is the same as claim but it is rather neutral. It just means "to express firmly your belief that something is true" (Cambridge dictionaries online). So, I can say, XX(2001) maintains... without any follow-up of any sort such as agreeing or disagreeing with the statement.

THANK YOU

I would only use 'maintain' to mean that it was a position that they held over a period of time - in keeping with the primary denotation of the word. That is sense 2 in M-W. I don't use it as in sense 5. So, if someone makes an assertion once, I wouldn't say that they 'maintained' that opinion.
As far as one being stronger or more positive or negative than the other, I don't see it.

Maintain - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 

[konungursvia]

I must admit, I think what you are saying sounds correct to me; however, it's not cut and dried, we are dealing with subtexts here, which vary from person to person.

I'd like to confirm if the following is/are(?) right?


1) When we say XXX (2001) claims that ... It implies that later, we will argue against the claim in some way. Therefore, the reporting verb 'claim' is somewhat negative.


2) maintain is the same as claim but it is rather neutral. It just means "to express firmly your belief that something is true" (Cambridge dictionaries online). So, I can say, XX(2001) maintains... without any follow-up of any sort such as agreeing or disagreeing with the statement.

THANK YOU

 

[konungursvia]

I feel this is sensible and that's more or less the way I use maintain as well, though I have seen it to mean something like "soutenir" or "to give support" so it can be used to take sides for the first time in a debate that has been ongoing.

I would only use 'maintain' to mean that it was a position that they held over a period of time - in keeping with the primary denotation of the word. That is sense 2 in M-W. I don't use it as in sense 5. So, if someone makes an assertion once, I wouldn't say that they 'maintained' that opinion.
As far as one being stronger or more positive or negative than the other, I don't see it.

Maintain - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary