In its root meaning, to say that something is "authentic" is simply to say that it is what it is purported to be. In a sentence like, "This violin is an authentic Stradivarius" the word is redundant. To claim that it is a Stradivarius at all is to claim that it is authentically one. It is a bit like saying, "This violin is really and truly a Stradivarius." "Authenticity" acquires a different, a greater, significance when it is coming from someone else, a third party to a transaction, for example. If I'm trying to sell you a violin, and tell you it's a Strad, then you may very well decline to take my word for it, and call in an expert on the instrument to determine its authenticity. This means: you want to know whether I'm telling you the truth. This is straightforward. But the more extended uses of the word aren't necessarily so straightforward. A literary critic, meaning to praise my novel, my call it "an authentic ex...
