Recency illusion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Recency illusion is the belief that a word, meaning, grammatical construction or phrase is of recent origin when it is in fact of long-established usage. The term was invented by Arnold Zwicky, a linguist at Stanford University.

For example, it is widely believed that the term "truthiness" was coined by Stephen Colbert when in fact it was recorded in 1824.

Other examples that are often used as examples of the recency illusion include:

• The use of they to reference a singular antecedent. (Example: Everyone brought their own lunch.) Although this usage is often cited as a modern invention, it is found in Jane Austen and Shakespeare.
• The phrase between you and I, which likewise can be found in Early Modern English.

[edit] See also

• Adolescent illusion
• Antiquity illusion
• Infrequency illusion
• Out-group illusion

[edit] External links

• Language Log entry by Zwicky that defines the term.
• New Scientist article (subscription only; hard copy at New Scientist, 17 November 2007 p. 60)