The fallacy of accent (also known as accentus, from its Latin denomination, and misleading accent[1]) is a verbal fallacy that reasons from two different vocal readings of the same written words. In English, the fallacy typically relies on prosodic stress, the emphasis given to a word within a phrase, or a phrase within a sentence.[1][2][3] The fallacy has also been extended to grammatical ambiguity caused by missing punctuation.[4]
Historyedit
Among the thirteen types of fallacies in his book Sophistical Refutations, Aristotle lists a fallacy he calls προσῳδία (prosody), later translated in Latin as accentus.[5] He gives as an example:
So where you lodge is a house? / Yes. (Ἆρά γ´ ἐστὶ τὸ οὗ καταλύεις οἰκία; Ναί.)
And isn't "you don't lodge" the negation of "you lodge"? / Yes. (Οὐκοῦν τὸ ‘οὐ καταλύεις’ τοῦ ‘καταλύεις’ ἀπόφασις; Ναί.)
And you said that where you lodge is a house. Therefore a house is a negation. (Ἔφησας δ´ εἶναι τὸ οὗ καταλύεις οἰκίαν· ἡ οἰκία ἄρα ἀπόφασις.)
The fallacy turns here on the varying pronunciation of ου, meaning "where" in the first and third occurrences, and "not" in the second. These would later be distinguished in writing with diacritics, but they were not in Aristotle's time.[5]
Aristotle noted that fallacies of this form were rare in contemporary Greek. They are rarer still in languages like English that have fewer heteronyms. Accordingly, English commentary has tended either to omit the fallacy or to reinterpret it as a fallacy of varying word emphasis. By varying the emphasis in "All men are created equal," for example, one might argue that men (not women) are created equal, or that men are created (but do not remain) equal. Broadening the fallacy in this manner has met with occasional criticism.[6]
^ abDamer, T. Edward (2009), Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-free Arguments (6th ed.), Wadsworth, pp. 126–128, ISBN978-0-495-09506-4
^Fischer, D. H. (1970), Historians' Fallacies: Toward A Logic of Historical Thought, Harper torchbooks (first ed.), New York: HarperCollins, pp. 271–274, ISBN978-0-06-131545-9, OCLC 185446787
^Engel, S. Morris (1994), Fallacies and Pitfalls of Language: The Language Trap, Courier Dover Publications, pp. 24–30, ISBN978-0-486-28274-9
^Ruiz, Roberto (2019). "Accent". In Arp, Robert; Barbone, Steven; Bruce, Michael (eds.). Bad Arguments: 100 of the most important fallacies in Western Philosophy. Wiley Blackwell. pp. 241–246. ISBN9781119167907.
^ abEbbesen, Sten (1981), Commentators and Commentaries on Aristotle's Sophistici Elenchi: A Study of Post-Aristotelian Ancient and Medieval Writings on Fallacies, Brill Archive, pp. 8, 81, 187–189, ISBN90-04-06297-1
^Walton, Douglas (2013). Fallacies Arising from Ambiguity.
January 01, 1970
fallacy, accent, fallacy, accent, also, known, accentus, from, latin, denomination, misleading, accent, verbal, fallacy, that, reasons, from, different, vocal, readings, same, written, words, english, fallacy, typically, relies, prosodic, stress, emphasis, giv. The fallacy of accent also known as accentus from its Latin denomination and misleading accent 1 is a verbal fallacy that reasons from two different vocal readings of the same written words In English the fallacy typically relies on prosodic stress the emphasis given to a word within a phrase or a phrase within a sentence 1 2 3 The fallacy has also been extended to grammatical ambiguity caused by missing punctuation 4 History editAmong the thirteen types of fallacies in his book Sophistical Refutations Aristotle lists a fallacy he calls prosῳdia prosody later translated in Latin as accentus 5 He gives as an example So where you lodge is a house Yes Ἆra g ἐstὶ tὸ oὗ katalyeis oἰkia Nai And isn t you don t lodge the negation of you lodge Yes Oὐkoῦn tὸ oὐ katalyeis toῦ katalyeis ἀpofasis Nai And you said that where you lodge is a house Therefore a house is a negation Ἔfhsas d eἶnai tὸ oὗ katalyeis oἰkian ἡ oἰkia ἄra ἀpofasis The fallacy turns here on the varying pronunciation of oy meaning where in the first and third occurrences and not in the second These would later be distinguished in writing with diacritics but they were not in Aristotle s time 5 Aristotle noted that fallacies of this form were rare in contemporary Greek They are rarer still in languages like English that have fewer heteronyms Accordingly English commentary has tended either to omit the fallacy or to reinterpret it as a fallacy of varying word emphasis By varying the emphasis in All men are created equal for example one might argue that men not women are created equal or that men are created but do not remain equal Broadening the fallacy in this manner has met with occasional criticism 6 See also editInnuendo Syntactic ambiguityReferences edit a b Damer T Edward 2009 Attacking Faulty Reasoning A Practical Guide to Fallacy free Arguments 6th ed Wadsworth pp 126 128 ISBN 978 0 495 09506 4 Fischer D H 1970 Historians Fallacies Toward A Logic of Historical Thought Harper torchbooks first ed New York HarperCollins pp 271 274 ISBN 978 0 06 131545 9 OCLC 185446787 Engel S Morris 1994 Fallacies and Pitfalls of Language The Language Trap Courier Dover Publications pp 24 30 ISBN 978 0 486 28274 9 Ruiz Roberto 2019 Accent In Arp Robert Barbone Steven Bruce Michael eds Bad Arguments 100 of the most important fallacies in Western Philosophy Wiley Blackwell pp 241 246 ISBN 9781119167907 a b Ebbesen Sten 1981 Commentators and Commentaries on Aristotle s Sophistici Elenchi A Study of Post Aristotelian Ancient and Medieval Writings on Fallacies Brill Archive pp 8 81 187 189 ISBN 90 04 06297 1 Walton Douglas 2013 Fallacies Arising from Ambiguity Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fallacy of accent amp oldid 1209821019, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
