[WikiEN-l] An alternative to "critics"

[Lord Voldemort]

On 7/31/06, Steve Bennett <stevagewp at gmail.com> wrote:
> I've never much liked sentences that start "Critics argue that...".
> Here's an alternative I saw at [[Tied Test]]:
>
> --
> Some commentators believed Chappell should have taken Snedden's word
> that the catch was good.
> --
>
> I find this to be more natural, less contrived, and more NPOV.
> "Critics" seems to imply that the people had it in for the subject of
> the article for some reason. "Commentators" is much more neutral -
> just (presumably somewhat notable) people who expressed an opinion on
> the event.
>
> Any opinions? Other alternatives to the infamous "critics"?

It's still weasel words. How about, "So and So from ''newspaper X''
have written that that dude messed up and should be fired. <source
from newspaper X by So and So>"  Be specific.  Who are these
"commentators" or "critics".  If it is a general feeling, then is
there some sort of poll that could show that?  --LV