I heard someone on a China's English television channel say 'the story does not sound very credulous' and that does not sound quite right to me.
Only people or animals can be credulous, right?
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, LiuJing.
(1) Yes, I think you are correct.
(2) But we must be very kind toward that person because THE COLUMBIA
GUIDE TO STANDARD AMERICAN ENGLISH reminds us that the seven
words that come from the Latin word "credere" also confuse native
speakers.
(a) I would never dare use one of those words without first checking.
(3) I guess that person should have said:
The story does not sound very credible.
That book I mentioned says:
credible = believable (The dean thought her story credible).
credulous = gullible, naive (His mother's credulous acceptance of his explanation stunned us).
*****
That book also explains:
(a) incredible = unbelievable (The news was incredible).
(b) incredulous = unable to believe . Applies to people -- AS YOU SO
CORRECTLY said. (The expressions on their faces were incredulous.)
***** Thank you *****
P. S. Good news for that person you heard on TV:
The book says that "incredulous" DID mean "unbelievable" 200 YEARS AGO
!!!! But not today.