attribution
/ˌætrɪˈbjuːʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌætrɪˈbjuːʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən/ (ame, mw)
attribution — noun
1. the act of stating or believing that a particular person or cause produced somet
the act of stating or believing that a particular person or cause produced something — for example, deciding that a famous writer created an unsigned poem, or that a drought was responsible for a poor harvest.
The attribution of that unsigned poem to Emily Dickinson took scholars several years to confirm.
attribution of, unsigned poem
The newspaper could not verify the attribution because the journalist refused to name her source.
verify the attribution, journalist refused
Scientists struggled with the attribution of the crop failure to climate change rather than local farming practices.
Aiko felt uncomfortable when the attribution of the team's success focused on her alone.
Proper attribution of sources in an academic paper is essential to avoid plagiarism.
- ascription
more formal and less common; used mostly in academic writing
- credit
narrower — implies positive recognition, not blame
- assignment
broader — can refer to tasks or roles, not just causality
- denial
refusal to accept that someone or something caused a result
文法句型
attribution + of + [thing] + to + [person/thing]
用法筆記
Frequently used in academic, journalistic, and legal contexts. The object of attribution can be a work (painting, text, idea) or an outcome (success, failure, event).
常見錯誤
2. the act of viewing a particular quality, trait, or characteristic as naturally b
the act of viewing a particular quality, trait, or characteristic as naturally belonging to a person or thing — for instance, saying that a child has inherited a parent's patience, or that a certain breed of dog is known for its loyalty.
The attribution of a calm temperament to the older sister was repeated so often that the younger one felt overlooked.
attribution of, calm temperament
Charlotte found the attribution of laziness to her son unfair because he always worked hard.
The attribution of magical powers to the old willow tree was part of local folklore.
Sanjay's attribution of musical talent to his grandmother was obvious when he talked about her piano playing.
Ravi's attribution of laziness to his brother upset their mother, who knew he worked hard every day.
- assignment
broader; can apply to tasks, not just qualities
- imputation
more formal and often negative; implies a quality is unfairly assigned
文法句型
attribution + of + [quality] + to + [person/thing]
用法筆記
Common in discussions of stereotyping, psychology, and family resemblance. Distinguish from sense 1 (CREDIT OR RESPONSIBILITY): sense 1 assigns blame or credit for an action/outcome, while sense 2 assigns an inherent quality or trait.