intentional fallacy
LowFormal, Academic, Literary
Definition
Meaning
The mistaken belief that the author's stated or supposed intentions are the primary or only valid basis for interpreting the meaning of a literary work.
In critical theory, the concept that seeking authorial intent is a misguided approach to literary criticism, as a text's meaning resides in its language, structure, and the reader's experience, not the author's private purpose.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A technical term from literary criticism and aesthetics, specifically coined by New Critics W.K. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley in 1946. It is nearly always used as a singular noun phrase.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; term is identical in spelling and usage.
Connotations
Carries the same strong academic/literary theory connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Used with equal rarity in relevant academic fields in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] commits/avoids/describes the intentional fallacy by [gerund phrase].The intentional fallacy warns critics against [gerund phrase].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't commit the intentional fallacy.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Primary context. Used in literary theory, philosophy of art, and critical analysis courses to critique interpretative methods.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would only appear in highly educated discussion of literature or art.
Technical
A technical term within literary criticism and aesthetics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- One must be careful not to **intentional-fallacy** one's reading of the poem.
- He was accused of **intentional-fallacising** the sonnet's theme.
American English
- Critics should avoid **intentional-fallacy-ing** their interpretation.
- She warned against **intentional-fallacizing** the novel's symbolism.
adverb
British English
- He argued **intentional-fallaciously** about the play's ending.
American English
- The essay interpreted the text **in an intentional-fallacy manner**.
adjective
British English
- That is an **intentional-fallacy** approach to criticism.
American English
- His reading was deemed **intentional-fallacious**.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher said looking for the author's plan is a mistake called the intentional fallacy.
- According to New Criticism, the intentional fallacy leads readers to misunderstand a poem by focusing too much on the poet's life.
- The literary theorist's dissertation rigorously deconstructed the persistent appeal of the intentional fallacy in contemporary biographical criticism, arguing for a return to close textual analysis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: INTENTIONAL FALLACY = It's FALLacious to base meaning solely on the author's INTENTION.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEANING IS A PUBLIC OBJECT (not a private thought).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid a direct, word-for-word translation like "намеренное заблуждение," which is incorrect. The term refers to a logical error (*fallacy*), not a deliberate deception. A more accurate conceptual translation is "заблуждение интенционализма" or "ошибка намерения (в критике)."
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean any mistake made on purpose (common misunderstanding).
- Confusing it with the 'affective fallacy' (which concerns over-reliance on the reader's emotional response).
- Treating it as a plural noun (e.g., 'intentional fallacies').
Practice
Quiz
What is the 'intentional fallacy' primarily concerned with?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The term was coined by American literary critics W.K. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley in their 1946 essay 'The Intentional Fallacy'.
While coined for literary criticism, the concept is often applied to the interpretation of all art forms (painting, film, music), arguing against using creator intent as the definitive key to meaning.
Intentionalism, or the theory that authorial intent is the primary or sole determinant of a work's meaning. Some schools of criticism, like certain forms of biographical or historical criticism, are more intentionalist.
Not necessarily. Most critics who invoke the fallacy argue that such information is secondary, contextual, or potentially misleading. The text itself, as a public linguistic artifact, is the primary evidence for its meaning.