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Plagiarism-Detection Software Confirms Shakespeare Play

mi tips us that software intended to help essay graders detect plagiarism has been used to attribute to Shakespeare — with high probability — a hitherto unattributed play, 'The Reign of Edward III.' It seems that the work was co-authored by Shakespeare and another playwright of the time, Thomas Kyd. "With a program called Pl@giarism, Vickers detected 200 strings of three or more words in 'Edward III' that matched phrases in Shakespeare's other works. Usually, works by two different authors will only have about 20 matching strings."

18 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. Phony by mykos · · Score: 4, Funny

    And the evidence continues to mount against him. All lies!

  2. So what they're saying is that... by macraig · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... Shakespeare plagiarized himself? Stop the presses!

    1. Re:So what they're saying is that... by shentino · · Score: 3, Funny

      It might be plagiarism but it most certainly isn't copyright infringement.

      At least in theory...the american legal system is convoluted enough that might not be true.

    2. Re:So what they're saying is that... by gmhowell · · Score: 4, Funny

      Shakespeare's stuff is still copyrighted? Damn, these extensions are getting ridiculous.

      --
      Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
  3. Stake Your Claim by HouseOfMisterE · · Score: 5, Funny

    Game Show Host (John Cleese): Good evening and welcome to Stake Your Claim. First this evening we have Mr Norman Voles of Gravesend who claims he wrote all Shakespeare's works. Mr Voles, I understand you claim that you wrote all those plays normally attributed to Shakespeare?

    Voles (Michael Palin): That is correct. I wrote all his plays and my wife and I wrote his sonnets.

    Host: Mr Voles, these plays are known to have been performed in the early 17th century. How old are you, Mr Voles?

    Voles: 43.

    Host: Well, how is it possible for you to have written plays performed over 300 years before you were born?

    Voles: Ah well. This is where my claim falls to the ground.

    Host: Ah!

    Voles: There's no possible way of answering that argument, I'm afraid. I was only hoping you would not make that particular point, but I can see you're more than a match for me!

    Host: Mr Voles, thank you very much for coming along.

    Voles: My pleasure.

    Host: Next we have Mr Bill Wymiss who claims to have built the Taj Mahal.

    Wymiss (Eric Idle): No.

    Host: I'm sorry?

    Wymiss: No. No.

    Host: I thought you cla...

    Wymiss: Well I did but I can see I won't last a minute with you.

    Host: Next...

    Wymiss: I was right!

  4. Re:Stake Your Claim (Continued...) by HouseOfMisterE · · Score: 2, Funny

    Host: ... we have Mrs Mittelschmerz of Dundee who cla... Mrs Mittelschmerz, what is your claim?

    Mittelschmerz (Graham Chapman in drag): That I can burrow through an elephant.

    Host: (Pause) Now you've changed your claim, haven't you. You know we haven't got an elephant.

    Mittelschmerz: (Insincerely) Oh, haven't you? Oh dear!

    Host: You're not fooling anybody, Mrs Mittelschmerz. In your letter you quite clearly claimed that ... er ... you could be thrown off the top of Beachy Head into the English Channel and then be buried.

    Mittelschmerz: No, you can't read my writing.

    Host: It's typed.

    Mittelschmerz: It says 'elephant'.

    Host: Mrs Mittelschmerz, this is an entertainment show, and I'm not prepared to simply sit here bickering. Take her away, Heinz!

    Mittelschmerz: Here, no, leave me alone! (Sound of wind and sea).

    Mittelschmerz: Oooaaahh! (SPLOSH)

  5. Re:Oblig. Shakespear Quote by ld+a,b · · Score: 5, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, Shakespeare misspells THEE!

    --
    10 little-endian boys went out to dine, a big-endian carp ate one, and then there were -246.
  6. Re:Umm by Cryacin · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hmmm... Romeo and Juliet and Prince Edward? Reminds me of Black adder:

    Queen: Edward, do you have a sheep in there?
    Edward: NO MOTHER!!!
    Sheep: Baaaaa!
    Queen: It's the lying that hurts...

    --
    Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
  7. I plagiarized Shakespeare too! by Renderer+of+Evil · · Score: 4, Funny

    Back in college I briefly took a creative writing course which was filled with snobs clutching their leatherbound Infinite Jest copies who used words like "perspectival" and "serendipitous."

    During one of the meetings the lecture focused on poetic expression with an emphasis on sonnets. Homework consisted of writing an abab, cdcd, efef, gg sonnet and reading it outloud to the circle of douchebags who then offered their opinions about the piece. Being an industrious person, I applied my murky understanding of F/OSS principles to the fine craft of poetic expression and forked one of Shakespeare's obscure sonnets, changing some archaic words into more modern form.

    I got a round of faint applause then dropped the class 2 weeks later.

    1. Re:I plagiarized Shakespeare too! by gmhowell · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wait, "serendipity" is a pretentious word now?

      Sometimes strange, wonderful, coincidental things happen.

      --
      Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
    2. Re:I plagiarized Shakespeare too! by Shikaku · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's also a cromulent word.

    3. Re:I plagiarized Shakespeare too! by glwtta · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's always been a word for writers, not used in conversation. Wait, you're just now finding out you're a douchebag?

      Well damn my eyes, I think I've been using writers' words for years without even realizing it!

      --
      sic transit gloria mundi
    4. Re:I plagiarized Shakespeare too! by bennomatic · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wow. Now I feel embiggened.

      --
      The CB App. What's your 20?
  8. Divine inspiration by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Another use would be to apply the algorithms to religious books to reveal which parts were really inspired by a divinity, and which parts were simply invented by some random, power hungry, con man, to control his peers.

    They could call it Bl@sphemy.

  9. hackneyed phrases ... by Katchu · · Score: 2, Funny

    Shakespeare, huh. That guys works are full of clichés.

    --
    Keep Doing Good.
  10. DO NOT let Harlan Ellison hear about this software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Seriously, he's filed to many lawsuits as it is.

  11. One for thine homies by dangitman · · Score: 3, Funny

    It seems that the work was co-authored by Shakespeare and another playwright of the time, Thomas Kyd.

    When working together, they were known by the name "Kyd Shakez."

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  12. Re:Or... by KnownIssues · · Score: 2, Funny

    Imagine how backwards computers would be if you had to write a new kernel, window system, and libraries every time you wanted to write an application.

    • Nobody too stupid to use a computer would survive in the world
    • Everyone would have to be skilled programmers
    • All your applications would do exactly what you wanted and only what you wanted so no software bloat
    • Open source would be almost automatic
    • Hardware would have to be universally compatible