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It's interesting that there seem to be two broad categories of miss-attribution. One where a quote is missattributed to someone other than the original speaker
by pmorici 11y ago
It's interesting that there seem to be two broad categories of miss-attribution. One where a quote is missattributed to someone other than the original speaker and two where someone tries to give something they are saying more weight by claiming a famous historical figure said it even though it is of their own making.
- pash 11y agoThere are also a great many aphorisms and witticisms whose attribution seems to gravitate towards an especially well known and respected eminence, although actually said by someone lesser known. One example, widely misattributed to Leonardo da Vinci: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. (Those words were written by William Gaddis, in his novel The Recognitions.)
- ekianjo 11y ago> One example, widely misattributed to Leonardo da Vinci: Whoever believes that in the first place is also mistaken that such concepts/wording as "sophistication" actually existed at the time.
- dang 11y agoIndeed, and the closest equivalents (like sophistry) were taken for granted as a bad thing.
- jonny_eh 11y agoda Vinci was Italian, so of course those exact words couldn't be used.
- dang 11y agoThe roots in the quote are all Latin, so close enough. But the point isn't the literal words, it's that "sophistication" is a modern concept that would have seemed strange and probably repugnant in Leonardo's time. I'm pretty sure that even Gaddis intended the phrase ironically. The Recognitions is a novel about fraud.
- comrh 11y agoAlso: "The Bible is the source of liberty" - (not) Thomas Jefferson. He seems to be a real common target to lend support to a claim. I think that says something about the mythology around the American Founding Fathers.
- alex_young 11y agoSometimes there are other motives. One of my favorite misattributions was this deliciously ironic juxtaposition Edward Abbey printed on the cover of his college newspaper: "Man Will Never Be Free Until the Last King Is Strangled With the Entrails of the Last Priest. –LOUISA MAY ALCOTT" [1] Actual source: Denis Diderot. Pretty hilarious. [1]http://notmytribe.com/2009/edward-abbey-quotes- http://notmytribe.com/2009/edward-abbey-quotes- louisa-may-alcott-85904.html
- JasonFruit 11y agoI'm embarrassed to admit that I don't see what's ironic about attributing that quote to Alcott. Sophomoric, yes, but I don't get the irony.