The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and WhenSt. Martin's Publishing Group, 2007 M04 1 - 416 pages Our language is full of hundreds of quotations that are often cited but seldom confirmed. Ralph Keyes's The Quote Verifier considers not only classic misquotes such as "Nice guys finish last," and "Play it again, Sam," but more surprising ones such as "Ain't I a woman?" and "Golf is a good walk spoiled," as well as the origins of popular sayings such as "The opera ain't over till the fat lady sings," "No one washes a rented car," and "Make my day." |
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... mouths. Discovering who actually said what, where, and when is a challenge for anyone who wishes to quote others. Misquotation is an occupational hazard of quotation. The more we quote, the more likely we are to misquote. This practice ...
... remarks to be expressed spontaneously. More often we wander around the edges of what we're trying to say before reaching its heart. When a quotable comment does emerge from someone's mouth in polished, pithy form, we xii INTRODUCTION.
... mouth. In Merton's words, the aphorism “became Newton's own, not because he deliberately made it so but because admirers of Newton made it so.” The misattribution process is not random. Patterns can be discerned. If a comment is saintly ...
... mouth. At the same time, Parker once wrote in a poem, when tempted to try an epigram in literate company she never sought to take credit because “We all assume that Oscar said it.” Oscar Wilde was well aware of his status as a flypaper ...
... mouths. “If you have to ask how much they cost, you can't AFFORD one.” J. P. Morgan's alleged response to an inquiry about the cost of his yachts is considered the epitome of wealthy imperiousness. (Some attribute the thought to ...