Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts,
ideas, or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work. The idea remains problematic
with unclear definitions and unclear rules. The modern concept of plagiarism as immoral and originality as
an ideal emerged in Europe only in the 18th century, particularly with the Romantic movement.
Plagiarism is considered academic dishonesty and a breach of journalistic ethics. It is subject to sanctions like
penalties, suspension, and even expulsion. Recently, cases of 'extreme plagiarism' have been identified in academia.
Plagiarism is not in itself a crime, but can constitute copyright infringement. In academia and industry, it is a
serious ethical offense. Plagiarism and copyright infringement overlap to a considerable extent, but they are
not equivalent concepts, and many types of plagiarism do not constitute copyright infringement, which is defined by
copyright law and may be adjudicated by courts. Plagiarism is not defined or punished by law, but rather by
institutions (including professional associations, educational institutions, and commercial entities, such as
publishing companies).
Etymology
In the 1st century, the use of the Latin word plagiarius (literally kidnapper) to denote stealing someone else's work
was pioneered by the Roman poet Martial, who complained that another poet had "kidnapped his verses". "Plagiary", a
derivative of "plagiarus" was introduced into English in 1601 by dramatist Ben Jonson to describe someone guilty of
literary theft.
The derived form plagiarism was introduced into English around 1620. The Latin plagiārius, "kidnapper", and
plagium, "kidnapping", has the root plaga ("snare", "net"), based on the Indo-European root *-plak, "to weave"
(seen for instance in Greek plekein, Bulgarian "плета" pleta, Latin plectere, all meaning "to weave").
Legal aspects
Although plagiarism in some contexts is considered theft or stealing, the concept does not exist in a legal sense,
although the use of someone elses work in order to gain academic credit may meet some legal definitions of fraud.
"Plagiarism" specifically is not mentioned in any current statute, either criminal or civil. Some cases may
be treated as unfair competition or a violation of the doctrine of moral rights. The increased availability of
intellectual property due to a rise in technology has furthered the debate as to whether copyright offences are
criminal. In short, people are asked to use the guideline, "if you did not write it yourself, you
must give credit".
Plagiarism is not the same as copyright infringement. While both terms may apply to a particular act, they are
different concepts, and false claims of authorship may constitute plagiarism regardless of whether the material is
protected by copyright. Copyright infringement is a violation of the rights of a copyright holder, when material
whose use is restricted by copyright is used without consent. Plagiarism, in contrast, is concerned with the
unearned increment to the plagiarizing author's reputation, or the obtaining of academic credit, that is achieved
through false claims of authorship. Thus, plagiarism is considered a moral offense against the plagiarist's
audience (for example, a reader, listener, or teacher).
Plagiarism is also considered a moral offense against anyone who has provided the plagiarist with a benefit in
exchange for what is specifically supposed to be original content (for example, the plagiarist's publisher,
employer, or teacher). In such cases, acts of plagiarism may sometimes also form part of a claim for breach of
the plagiarist's contract, or, if done knowingly, for a civil wrong.