Is there a name for this literary technique?

Mark6 · 25th May 2012, 11:19 AM

Ascribing fake quotes to real historical people.

In S.M.Stirling's "Marching through Georgia" one of the characters quotes Oscar Wilde. Real Oscar Wilde never said it -- the quote is made up. But it is very much in-character for Oscar Wilde, and is something he easily would have said given the fictional events in the book.

So, is there a name for it?

JJM 777 · 25th May 2012, 11:58 AM

Something between misquoting and putting words in someone´s mouth.

CynicalSkeptic · 25th May 2012, 12:02 PM

I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom.

"The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln

fuelair · 25th May 2012, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by CynicalSkeptic

I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom.

"The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln

I see what you did there!" Chairman Mao Tse Tung.

Piscivore · 25th May 2012, 12:50 PM

TV Tropes calls it "Encyclopedia Exposita"

Resume · 25th May 2012, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by CynicalSkeptic

I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom.

"The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln

Everyone knows that was Ben Franklin.

angrysoba · 25th May 2012, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by Mark6

Ascribing fake quotes to real historical people.

In S.M.Stirling's "Marching through Georgia" one of the characters quotes Oscar Wilde. Real Oscar Wilde never said it -- the quote is made up. But it is very much in-character for Oscar Wilde, and is something he easily would have said given the fictional events in the book.

So, is there a name for it?

Not sure what the word is but the Flashman novels are extended exercises in this kind of thing:

Lord Elphinstone, Alexander Burnes, Lord Cardigan, Bismarck, Lola Montez, Florence Nightingale, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Abraham Lincoln and many, many others appear with a variety of silly voices and comical lines.

Brian-M · 25th May 2012, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Piscivore

TV Tropes calls it "Encyclopedia Exposita"

No, that's only "Quotes from other fictional books being used as an Epigraph or part of the frame of the story. They are not part of the text proper", not falsely attributing a statement to a famous person.

angrysoba · 25th May 2012, 06:08 PM

I don't think the OP is talking about "falsely attributing quotes" which suggests a kind of fraudulence but rather having a real historical character in a fictional setting.

Skeptic Ginger · 25th May 2012, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by CynicalSkeptic

I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom.

"The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln

Mark6 · 29th May 2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by angrysoba

I don't think the OP is talking about "falsely attributing quotes" which suggests a kind of fraudulence but rather having a real historical character in a fictional setting.

Yes. And while "Flashman" is a particularly big case, any historical fiction should have at least some examples of such quotes -- after all, by definition historical fiction involves real people in situations that never happened -- or did not happen quite like in the book.

25th May 2012, 11:19 AM	#1
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,176	Is there a name for this literary technique? Ascribing fake quotes to real historical people. In S.M.Stirling's "Marching through Georgia" one of the characters quotes Oscar Wilde. Real Oscar Wilde never said it -- the quote is made up. But it is very much in-character for Oscar Wilde, and is something he easily would have said given the fictional events in the book. So, is there a name for it?
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,176	__________________ Gamemaster: "A horde of rotting zombies is shambling toward you. The sign over the door says 'Accounting'"

25th May 2012, 12:37 PM	#4
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 28,957	Originally Posted by CynicalSkeptic I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom. "The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln I see what you did there!" Chairman Mao Tse Tung.
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 28,957	__________________ There is no problem so great that it cannot be fixed by small explosives carefully placed. Wash this space! We fight for the Lady Babylon!!!

25th May 2012, 12:50 PM	#5
Piscivore Smelling fishy Join Date: May 2004 Location: Home is wherever I'm with you Posts: 26,471	TV Tropes calls it "Encyclopedia Exposita"
	__________________ Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Take his fish away and tell him he's lucky just to be alive, and he'll figure out how to catch another one for you to take tomorrow. "...untrustworthy obnoxious twerp." - CFLarsen

25th May 2012, 04:03 PM	#6
Resume Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 8,029	Originally Posted by CynicalSkeptic I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom. "The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln Everyone knows that was Ben Franklin.
Resume Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 8,029

25th May 2012, 06:03 PM	#8
Brian-M Daydreamer Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Downunder Posts: 4,275	Originally Posted by Piscivore TV Tropes calls it "Encyclopedia Exposita" No, that's only "Quotes from other fictional books being used as an Epigraph or part of the frame of the story. They are not part of the text proper", not falsely attributing a statement to a famous person.
	__________________ "That is just what you feel, that isn't reality." - hamelekim

25th May 2012, 11:58 AM	#2
JJM 777 Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 3,175	Something between misquoting and putting words in someone´s mouth.

25th May 2012, 12:02 PM	#3
CynicalSkeptic Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: state of denial Posts: 1,363	I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom. "The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln

25th May 2012, 04:37 PM	#7
angrysoba Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 8,563	Originally Posted by Mark6 Ascribing fake quotes to real historical people. In S.M.Stirling's "Marching through Georgia" one of the characters quotes Oscar Wilde. Real Oscar Wilde never said it -- the quote is made up. But it is very much in-character for Oscar Wilde, and is something he easily would have said given the fictional events in the book. So, is there a name for it? Not sure what the word is but the Flashman novels are extended exercises in this kind of thing: Lord Elphinstone, Alexander Burnes, Lord Cardigan, Bismarck, Lola Montez, Florence Nightingale, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Abraham Lincoln and many, many others appear with a variety of silly voices and comical lines.

25th May 2012, 06:08 PM	#9
angrysoba Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 8,563	I don't think the OP is talking about "falsely attributing quotes" which suggests a kind of fraudulence but rather having a real historical character in a fictional setting.

25th May 2012, 07:50 PM	#10
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,592	Originally Posted by CynicalSkeptic I don't know the name for it, but Abraham Lincoln knew all about the phenomenom. "The problem with quotes found on the internet is that they're not always accurate." - Abraham Lincoln
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

29th May 2012, 05:47 AM	#11
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,176	Originally Posted by angrysoba I don't think the OP is talking about "falsely attributing quotes" which suggests a kind of fraudulence but rather having a real historical character in a fictional setting. Yes. And while "Flashman" is a particularly big case, any historical fiction should have at least some examples of such quotes -- after all, by definition historical fiction involves real people in situations that never happened -- or did not happen quite like in the book.
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,176	__________________ Gamemaster: "A horde of rotting zombies is shambling toward you. The sign over the door says 'Accounting'"