Plausible deniability is the ability of a person or organization to deny a connection to a controversial action in a manner that cannot be conclusively disproved. In politics and espionage, the term traditionally refers to the concealment or withholding of acknowledgement, of a sponsor's role in a covert operation, so that the sponsoring government can disclaim responsibility if the operation comes to light. In the study of language and communication, indirect speech and insinuation are analysed as ways for a speaker to preserve deniability about the intended meaning of an utterance.