by Precocity » Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:55 pm
All good questions but the premise of the OP is "honestly". While you can look up the definition of honestly in Merriam-Webster, it has two definitions.
1: in an honest manner: as
a : without cheating <counted the ballots honestly>
b : really, genuinely <was honestly scared>
c : without frills <food honestly prepared>
2: to be honest : to tell the truth <honestly, I don't know>
Politicians won't use the 2nd definition. You will never get a truthful answer. That's why I said it's better to use the word truthfully which has no 2nd meaning.
: telling or disposed to tell the truth <a truthful witness>