The benefit of the doubt

[duome]

If you give someone the benefit of the doubt, you treat them as if they are telling the truth or as if they have behaved properly, even though you are not sure that this is the case.

Somehow it's the first time I see this concept (forgive my ignorance).
It's kind of similar to "presumption of innocence" but it's not the same thing.

[Linda7Italian]

These days it's a kind way of thinking "OK, I believe you" e.g when a friend arrives late for coffee and says the traffic was terrible. A friend of mine is regularly late and always blames the traffic so I always give him the benefit of the doubt.

[John Little]

I once asked for my late arrival at work to be excused because my tropical fish had "pop-eye" and needed intermediate treatment. A friend had told me about it the night before and it sounded a good excuse. Even though I never had any fish. I was given the "benefit of the doubt".

[Davey944676]

I once asked for my late arrival at work to be excused because my tropical fish had "pop-eye" and needed intermediate treatment. A friend had told me about it the night before and it sounded a good excuse. Even though I never had any fish. I was given the "benefit of the doubt".

10/10 for originality! They probably absolutely believed it, thinking that nobody would have actually invented such an outlandish excuse!

[Davey944676]

..it's the first time I see this concept (forgive my iginorance).
It's kind of similar to "presumption of innocence" but it's not the same thing.

It's another one of those English phrases which can be used in various ways.

It actually can mean a presumption of innocence, especially in an impersonal/theoretical sense - when setting out a future policy, for example.

But with day-to-day humans, things of course get more complicated...

Giving somebody the benefit of the doubt can mean that you, personally, believe/trust something from them, but you have no way to prove it for certain (and it's often applied to something trivial that doesn't really matter much anyway).

On the other hand, making a particular point of "giving somebody the benefit of the doubt" when little or no doubt had previously been raised, can be used as a sarcastic/snidey/passive-aggressive way of injecting doubt. (I imagine that tactic is used a lot in the real-life watercooler world of political backstabbing, as well as in the dramatised tv and film world!)

And everything in between....

[John Little]

[

It's another one of those English phrases which can be used in various ways. :)

believe/trust something from them, but you have no way to prove it for certain (and it's often applied to something trivial that doesn't really matter much anyway).

I believe you, thousands wouldn't! Very popular on the Radio 4 show "Just a Minute" where contestants are constantly given the "benefit of the doubt".

[Basler Biker]

Some guy - known as J.L. - always came late at Linda's Italian Fashion Shop, and always blamed it on the trafic. But once, when he was late on 22 september, he blamed it on the pop-eye of his tropical fish...

---

You give someone the benefit of the doubt, whether or not what is claimed is in reality true or a lie. Even if the excuse given is "impossible" (= hard to believe) "I was held up by an alien"...
Even when later at the coffeemachine a colleague claims to have "seen him talking to an alian"...

Benefit of the doubt is "choosing trust over suspicion" ... even when there is nothing to be really "trusted" (some disbelieve may still remain)

The "benefit of the doubt" isn't a legal thing, whereas "presumption of innocence" is.
But not in all types of legal cases. In many situations the accused must give proof of innocence (drugs, fiscal fraude, ...) ... And either way, the judge always has the last decision - can either condemn or not, even disregarding the jury's deliberation.

The only thing a judge can sometimes do in cases of doubt is to give the defendant the "benefit of the doubt", because otherwise the defense will certainly appeal.

But of course people's confidence in Justice could be undermined, because they want a conviction, even if some hard evidence is lacking, and when it is clear as day who the perpetrator is ... the tropical fish !!

[Explorer]

I guess you have to earn the benefit of the doubt first. If you're someone who's always on time and then one day you're late, no big deal, I believe you. But if you're always late and just making excuses, then I'm gonna think you're pulling my leg.

[HeyMarlana]

It's a way of saying: "Logic says I should doubt what you're saying. But I'm going to believe you, regardless of what makes sense, regardless of repeated history, based on trust that what you're saying is true. When I do this, I am giving you the benefit of the doubt. The good end of things when I should know better."

Meanwhile, that benefit is given without the person needing (or being able) to provide facts or proof of what they're saying.

It's a bit similar to the phrase: "I'll give you that", but that's usually said when the other person who is being convinced was satisfied with the reasons, determining that there is some truth to it, or could be truth to it, or was presented with facts.

There's a scene in the film "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" (1993) where Bruce is meeting Linda's mother, and she's grilling him with questions to see if he'll prove to be unsuitable for Linda so that she can encourage them to end their relationship. One question is about how he'll be able to support themselves. He replied, "I'll open a kung-fu school." With doubt, she says that "the world doesn't need kung-fu". He answers, "More people are studying it. It's how I put myself through school." When she realizes that it's very probable, and that a significant amount of money is needed for school therefore it could be enough to pay for living expenses, she decides his method is viable and says, "Okay, I'll give you that."

It's a bit like playing an actual game where there are points. I take a point, you take a point. In most games, whoever (usually) has the most wins. When someone "gives" you a point, it usually means the player is owed the point legitimately, and in a game, someone giving a point to their opponent they've lost a point themselves. So when someone says "I'll give you that" it's a bit patronizing, because they are still trying to win a figurative game, and think they'll catch up and have more valid points to eventually "win" an argument.

[duome]

I exercise this same idea when I'm telling myself that there might be a "good" or at least a "valid" reason why someone is doing something or what they might have been thinking and what did they really mean (like, did they really mean to hurt you or is it just a series of unfortunate events and all they really want to say is "I'm so sorry" and they wish that none of this would happen?)

There's a famous quote: «Злых людей нет на свете, есть только люди несчастливые» (Роман «Мастер и Маргарита»)

It translates more or less like "There are no evil people in the world, only unhappy ones" - from "The Master and Margarita" novel by Mikhail Bulgakov

[Davey944676]

... just making excuses, then I'm gonna think you're pulling my leg..

See! What madness is that! That uni wanting you to pass an English test. Pulling your leg, indeed!

[Davey944676]

...I believe you, thousands wouldn't! Very popular on the Radio 4 show "Just a Minute" where contestants are constantly given the "benefit of the doubt".

Yeah, very often also used in a jokey-sarcastic way!

[HeyMarlana]

@duome In conversation, I use idioms and proverbs often, and if I'm speaking to someone whose native language is not English, they might stop me to ask what I mean. Even slang and colloquialism can be mistranslated.

Here are examples of idioms when it's the opposite of giving someone the benefit of a doubt:

If I don't give someone the benefit of the doubt, someone might think I'm being their judge and jury.
If I don't give someone the benefit of the doubt, I may appear as if I'm a doubting Thomas.
I understand, but I take it with a grain of salt.
I understand, but it's hard to swallow.
I don't know, but something's fishy.
Can you be so sure beyond a shadow of a doubt?

[lrai]

I personally love slang and idioms. As an aside, the free dictionary holds an idiom contest and for three years I took 3rd place in the contest. Yes I do need a life! Anyways, I will always give someone the benefit of the doubt, unless they are stupid enough to post on social media and then all bets are off.

My job as manager means I often get teachers who phone me and say they are too sick to work. I give them the benefit of the doubt and the day off, but later they post photos on social media of them at a BBQ or party, all bets are off and they get fined for lying to me. The next time they call in sick they will need to see a doctor with someone on our staff and get a release to come back to work. That usually nips this problem from happening again.

BTW I remind my younger teachers to stay off social media as it's really not their friend! LOL

[Davey944676]

I personally love slang and idioms. As an aside, the free dictionary holds an idiom contest and for three years I took 3rd place in the contest. Yes I do need a life! Anyways, I will always give someone the benefit of the doubt, unless they are stupid enough to post on social media and then all bets are off.

My job as manager means I often get teachers who phone me and say they are too sick to work. I give them the benefit of the doubt and the day off, but later they post photos on social media of them at a BBQ or party, all bets are off and they get fined for lying to me. The next time they call in sick they will need to see a doctor with someone on our staff and get a release to come back to work. That usually nips this problem from happening again.

BTW I remind my younger teachers to stay off social media as it's really not their friend! LOL

That's deep-state irony, right? Just checking!

[lrai]

Yes and no, it is really the TRUTH but YES in a way it is ironic that which we call "social" has very little to do with being social. I like to think of "social" media as nothing more than computerized gossip media and since I am not a fan of gossip I am not a fan of this type of media, so call me a dinosaur!

[John Little]

There's a famous saying: «Злых людей нет на свете, есть только люди несчастливые» (Роман «Мастер и Маргарита»)

Oh! THAT famous saying!

[Basler Biker]

There's a famous saying:

Oh! THAT famous saying!

or like this famous one
"逆水行舟，不进则退"
(Nì shuǐ xíng zhōu, bù jìn zé tuì)

Literal Translation: "Sailing a boat against the current: if you don’t advance, you will retreat."
Figurative:

Only dead fish (people) flow with the current - dead by propaganda, advertizing, by influence from the media... But people still showing some initiative, having the will to achieve something, will swim accross and against the current to reach the other bank to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true"