Plagiarism on ActiveRain? by Bill Roberts

This has become a major conversation on AR since the Melania Trump speech at the Republican National Convention. She was accused of plagiarism for borrowing a few words and phrases from Michelle Obama, who may have borrowed them herself.

Some of you have been very vociferous in your condemnation.

I am writing this because of the comment stream from a post by Patricia Kennedy. this is not about anything Pat said (wrote) but rather what some of the commenters said. I will NOT call them out. Hopefully they know who they are. 

Take a Breath

I think you need to slow down and THINK about what you are saying.

Man has always mimicked those around him. That is how we have

come up with so many "sayings" that everybody uses day in and day

out. This is the nature of our language.

The real issue is not "borrowing" a few words or using a "saying" but

the complete "cut and paste" of an entire writing. In every part of this

country they have certain things that they say that are peculiar to that

region. So if you "copy" one of these sayings are you a plagiarist?

If you can say the same words already uttered by another, you are

contributing to the growth of our language. You are helping to create a

"saying."

Just Sayin'

Here in California one can hear "hey Dude" anywhere and any time.

Does that make those who say this plagiarists? After all, they didn't

create this. I use "just sayin'" a lot, but I didn't create this saying, just

sayin.'
Down south you hear "all y'all" but who said it first? No one knows. But

saying it IS NOT plagiarism.
Somewhere between a few words cobbled together into a "saying" and

a whole book, the line is drawn. You step over this line you are a

plagiarist. But who says where this line is? How many words does it

take to constitute plagiarism.
One of my favorite songs is "The MTA by the Kingston Trio." Oh, the

opportunities for plagiarism abound. The song begins "these are the

times that try men's souls." That was said with no attribution to

whoever said it first. Was it Thomas Paine or did he plagiarize it

himself?
Even the "name" Kingston Trio was also the name of another group in

another place and time. Did they plagiarize this as well?
Give me a break (another "saying" used by us all). We can't call

everything plagiarism when they are just common words and common

sayings.
The promulgation of "ideas" is how we develop our culture. There is

another saying that I think fits here: "There is nothing NEW under the

sun." Everything we all say has been said before. We are contributing

to the growth of our culture. And the more we "contribute" the fuller

that culture becomes.
So I ask you again, where is the line between the language of our

culture and plagiarism?

NB Melanis Trump's speechwriter is a former ballerina that became Melania personal assistant, Not a "professional" speechwriter as some have claimed. And she has apologised and tendered her resignation. The Trumps have forgiven her and refused her resignation. We can ALL take a lesson here.