What is it called when you wrongly credit someone for an idea or work they didn't do? I remember that is often used when characters realize that the person they were crediting stole it from someone else.
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6Misattribution?– ŘídícíCommented Aug 24 at 5:21
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1Miscredit is a word/verb also but it is uncommon.– ermanenCommented Aug 24 at 8:00
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1Not a dup. Nothing to do with being included as an author in an academic setting. OP, please add a sample sentence or two that shows how you want to use the term.– Phil SweetCommented Aug 24 at 15:16
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2 Answers
There are various words to describe the concept of crediting the wrong person. Here's a list:
- Misstate
- Misquote
- Miscredit (no link available for Merriam, so I linked Wiktionary instead).
- Misattribute
- Misrepresent (Note that this is slightly less related than the other ones, but I listed this here as last since it's still minorly related).
All of the above may be used to describe "crediting the wrong person". However, which one is better suited depends on context. For example, whether or not the wrong crediting is an intentional act of fraud, or deception, which makes the word "Misrepresent" more suitable. Generally speaking, I would suggest you to use "Misattribute", as it suits most context and cases.
Stigler's law of eponymy
Stigler’s law of eponymy says that no scientific discovery is named for its original discoverer. Notable examples include the Pythagorean theorem, Occam’s razor, Halley’s comet, Avogadro’s number, Coriolis force, Gresham’s law, Venn diagrams, Hubble’s law…
Statistician Stephen Stigler coined this law in a 1980 festschrift honoring sociologist Robert K. Merton. It was Merton who had remarked that original discovers never seem to get credit. Stigler playfully appropriated the rule, ensuring that Stigler’s law would be self-referential.
