Archive:Infamy
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Look up Infamy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Infamy, in common usage, is the notoriety gained from a negative incident or reputation. The word stems from the Latin infamia, antonym of fama . It is different from fame, which is generally regarded as notoriety gained from a positive incident or reputation.
Most often, infamy comes as a consequence of criminal conviction. In early common law, a conviction for an infamous crime resulted in disqualification to testify as a witness. [1]
Infamous People
The list of infamous people includes the following:
Catholic Infamy
In Catholicism, there is Infamy of Law and Infamy of Fact.
Infamy of law is usually contracted by persons who commit certain crimes: dueling, rape, and attempting to marry without first being widowed. It is attached to a guilty verdict, and can be removed only by canonical purging or applying to the Holy See. [2]
Infamy of Fact is contracted by popular opinion after a person has committed a non-criminal offense, such as adultery. Infamy of fact is usually only disregarded as a person has shown a life change over a period of a couple of years.
References
- ↑ "infamy". Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/287388/infamy. Retrieved on 27 January, 2014.
- ↑ "Catholic Infamy". New Advent. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08001a.htm. Retrieved on 27 January, 2014.