Faktoid
Factoid can refer to a spurious (unverified, incorrect, or invented) "fact" intended to create or prolong public exposure or to manipulate public opinion. It appears in the Oxford English Dictionary [1] as "something which becomes accepted as fact, although it may not be true", namely a speculation or an assumption, The term was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe.[2] Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper", and created the word by combining the word "fact" and the ending "-oid" to mean "like a fact".[3]
There are strong connections between factoids and urban myths.
Examples
- It is commonly believed in the Australian city of Mount Isa that their city, in terms of its area, is the world's largest or second largest city. In reality Mount Isa isn't even the largest city in Australia and there are several larger cities around the world. Their own local council web site incorrectly suggests it is the second largest city on earth. [4]
- The media in Canada have often reported that the city of Toronto was named by UNESCO as the most multicultural city in the world. Although there have been some reports suggesting that Toronto may be one of the world's most diverse cities (see Demographics of Toronto), the United Nations agency has never designated any city as being the most multicultural or diverse. Nonetheless, the belief in this status persisted for years, even finding its way onto UNESCO's own web site,[5] into the pages of the New York Times,[6] and into international media reports in respect of Toronto's two Olympic bids.
- The Great Wall of China is often touted as being the only man made object visible from space.
- See Great Wall of China controversy
Other meanings
Factoid is now sometimes also used to mean a small piece of true but valueless or insignificant information, in contrast to the original definition. This has been popularized by the CNN Headline News TV channel which during the 1980s and 1990s used to frequently include such a fact under the heading "factoid" during newscasts - synonymous with the neologism factlet. In the United Kingdom, BBC Radio 2 presenter Steve Wright uses factoids extensively on his show. [7]
As a result of confusion over the meaning of factoid, some English-language style guides recommend against its use. [8]
Footnotes
- ↑ Simpson JA & Weiner ESC (Hrsg.): The Compact Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition. Clarendon Press, 1991, ISBN 0198612583.
- ↑ Norman Mailer: Marilyn: A Biography. Grosset & Dunlap, 1973, ISBN 0448010291.
- ↑ The Word Detective (October 18, 2000)
- ↑ Mount Isa City Council page suggesting their city is the second largest city in the world
- ↑ UNESCO Best Practices for Human Settlements: Metro Toronto's Changing Communities
- ↑ Clyde H. Farnsworth,"Toronto Journal: To Battle Bigots, Help from South of the Border," New York Times, Friday, 12 February 1993, 4.
- ↑ Wright, Steve: Steve Wright's Book of Factoids. HarperCollins Entertainment, 2005, ISBN 0007206607.
- ↑ Brians, Paul: Common Errors in English Usage. William James & Company, 2003, ISBN 1887902899. [1]