A brief history of fictitious entries

The origin of fictitious entries

Long before the digital age, writers and editors, driven by creativity or a desire to catch plagiarism, began incorporating non-existent people, places, and events into their works.

Encyclopedias and reference books often included fake entries, either by accident or design. The reasons varied, ranging from editorial pranks to the intentional insertion of misinformation as a copyright trap.

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The purpose of fictitious entries

Fictitious entries served a variety of purposes, from catching plagiarism, injecting humor into dry reference materials, or testing the integrity of information sources. Here are some reasons why fictitious entries were created:

• Copyright traps. Fictitious entries, when used strategically, served as clever copyright traps. If someone copied an author’s work without permission, the original writer could point to the fake entry as proof that they were plagiarized.
• Humor. Comedy writers have used fictitious entries to elicit laughter. Whether it’s a whimsical character or an absurd event, the inclusion of the unreal can turn a mundane reference work into an unexpected source of amusement.
• Testing diligence. Editors and publishers sometimes used fictitious entries to test the thoroughness of their fact-checking process. This is meant to remind editors and readers of the need to scrutinize information thoroughly.

Fictitious entries in encyclopedias and maps

Ironically, encyclopedias and maps—typically considered sources of truth—are where historians find the most fictitious entries. Here are some notorious examples of fake entries in reference materials:

• The Mountweazel phenomenon. In 1975, the New Columbia Encyclopedia included an entry on Lillian Virginia Mountweazel, a fictitious photographer known for her images of rural American mailboxes. The inclusion was intentional, a copyright trap to catch potential plagiarists.
• Street fiction. Some city guides and dictionaries have featured entirely made-up street names and locations. These entries, often inserted as a form of copyright protection, highlight the creative ways in which fictitious elements find their way into seemingly factual documents.
• Null Island. In geographic information systems, Null Island is a fictional place created at the coordinates 0°N, 0°E. It serves as a placeholder for mapping errors and demonstrates how fictitious entries can play a practical role in technology and data management.

Fictitious entries in literature

Literary history is peppered with instances of fictitious entries used to tell a story. One of its most famous examples is the Voynich Manuscript: A mysterious manuscript dating back to the 15th century, featuring bizarre illustrations and an indecipherable script. Some believe it to be a complex hoax, showcasing the use of fictitious entries to confuse and captivate readers.

Looking back at our rich literary history, fictitious entries continue to leave their mark on the way we perceive and interact with information. The next time you peruse a reference work, keep an eye out for the unexpected information that fictitious entries might bring.