"Quotation, n: The act of repeating erroneously the words of another"

This quote by Ambrose Bierce is a humorous way of pointing out the irony of quoting someone else. Quoting is often seen as a way to give credit to the original speaker, but Bierce is suggesting that it can be done incorrectly. He is implying that when someone quotes another person, they may not be accurately repeating the words of the original speaker. This could be due to a misunderstanding of the original speaker's words, or simply because the quote is being taken out of context. Bierce is also suggesting that quoting someone else can be a form of plagiarism, as it is taking someone else's words and claiming them as your own. In conclusion, this quote is a humorous way of pointing out the irony of quoting someone else, and the potential for misquoting or plagiarism.