List of misquotations

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."

A language is a dialect with a navy.Original in Yiddish: ”אַ שפּראַך איז אַ דיאַלעקט מיט אַן אַרמיי און פֿלאָט„ A shprakh iz a dialekt mit an armey un flot – A language is a dialect with an army and navy. This was not said by Otto von Bismarck but rather by the linguist Max Weinreich.

— List of misquotations language

Frequent use of such a quote first began to appear in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, where in almost every episode, the villains being arrested would say it, but refer to the gang as pesky kids, rather than meddling. The meddling variation did begin to get used and parodied frequently in newer productions such as the direct-to-video movies, Whats New, Scooby-Doo? and Scooby-Doo, Mystery Incorporated, including commercials such as Direct TV.

— List of misquotations quote

Should this be quoting from Joseph Jacobs English Fairy Tales it should say Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum, I smell the blood of Englishman, Be him alive or be he dead, Ill have his bones to grind my bread.

— List of misquotations man

To learn who rules over you, simply find out whom you are not allowed to criticize. VoltaireOften used as justification for anti-Semitism, the quote is actually by Kevin Strom, a Neo-Nazi writer**

— List of misquotations quote

Well, that escalated quickly.Was said by Ron Burgundy following a fight with local anchormen. The correct quote is Boy, that escalated quickly. See: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anchorman:_The_Legend_of_Ron_Burgundy

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Dont fire till you see the whites of their eyes.This quotation is usually attributed to Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. In fact, it originates with Colonel William Prescott commander of George Washingtons Continental Army, at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The full quotation is, Dont fire till you see the whites of their eyes. Then, fire low! Source: George Washingtons War by Robert Leckie

— List of misquotations war

Commonly misattributed to George Orwell without citation. Sometimes also misattributed to Winston Churchill without citation.

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Similar phrase: I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it. – Aaron Sorkin A Few Good Men

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The above is most likely a summary of the following quote in Burkes Thoughts on the Cause of Present Discontents: When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.Also attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville.

— List of misquotations men

You want the truth? You cant handle the truth!While Jack Nicholson indeed says the second part of this line in the film A Few Good Men, the correct dialogue sequence is: You want answers? I want the truth! You cant handle the truth! Cruises character, in response to being asked if he wants answers, responds that he thinks he is entitled; asked again if he wants answers, Cruise states that he wants the truth. This sets off the monologue from Nicholson that begins with You cant handle the truth! This misquotation is commonly used in parodies of the scene, including twice on The Simpsons.

— List of misquotations truth

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon youre talking real money.Attributed to Everett Dirksen. Dirksen occasionally used the phrase a billion here, a billion there in his speeches, but the latter appendage was apparently the work of a newspaper reporter. Dirksen noted that although he never said the whole comment, he liked the misquotation and never seriously objected to its misattribution.

— List of misquotations money

Actual quote: We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. Presumably the plans for our employment were being changed. I was to learn later in life that, perhaps because we are so good at organizing, we tend as a nation to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.

— List of misquotations life

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him well.Correct quote: Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio – a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. – William Shakespeare Hamlet, Act V, Scene I

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Correct quote: Why dont you come up sometime and see me? Im home every evening. – Mae West She Done Him Wrong

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Due to static interference during transmission Armstrongs message was misinterpreted and consequently has been misquoted. Armstrong actually said, Thats one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

— List of misquotations quote

Hello, Clarice.This line, while occasionally used in parody of the film The Silence of the Lambs, was never once used in the film itself. However, Anthony Hopkinss character, Hannibal Lecter, does at one point utter a similar phrase of Good evening, Clarice. On the other hand in the sequel Hannibal, when the doctor answers detective Pazzis cell phone, just before he pushes him off the library balcony, Dr. Lecter greets Agent Starling with the following, Is this Clarice? Well, hello Clarice

— List of misquotations self

Im ready for my close-up, Mr DeMilleActual quote: All right, Mr. DeMille, Im ready for my close-up Gloria Swanson Sunset Boulevard

— List of misquotations quote

Someone set us up the bombCorrect quote: Somebody set up us the bomb The spoken words are Someone set us up the bomb in the flash animation, which made the phenomenon popular. somebody set up us the bomb is a cheat code in Empire Earth to win the game automatically. Notes: From a Japanese video game, Zero Wing, with a very unskilled and amusing English translation. The original Japanese - nanimonoka niyotte bakuhatsubutsu ga shikakerareta youdesu - is natural and unbroken, although it conveys much greater uncertainty about what has happened. Similar to all your base are belong to us, which occurs in the same game.

— List of misquotations art

Thats one small step for man, one giant leap for mankindSaid by Neil Armstrong while walking on the moon. Due to static interference during transmission Armstrongs message was misinterpreted and consequently has been misquoted. Armstrong actually said, Thats one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

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The line was again misquoted in the movie The Ninth Configuration, in which a group of mental patients spend their time playing a game called Famous Lines from Famous Movies where one person quotes a line and the rest must identify the movie.

— List of misquotations quotes

This quote comes from Hamlet, Act 3, scene 2, line 254 line accuracy may differ in varying versions of the play. During the time of Shakespeare, the word protest meant vow or declare solemnly rather than deny. In this manner, Gertrude is making a comment about the Player Queens overzealous attachment to the Player King rather than a denial of guilt. The quote is Gertrudes response to Hamlets asking her if she is enjoying the play.

— List of misquotations time

This quote is a pastiche of the various lines delivered by villains. Some villains would come close to uttering the line but would substitute meddlers or blasted kids or some variation. Some villains would use the meddling kids part but only a part of the rest of the line. Many villains remained silent upon arrest.

— List of misquotations art

To gild the lilyCorrect quote: To gild refined gold, to paint the lily – William Shakespeare The Life and Death of King John, Act IV, Scene II, line 13 Shakespeare was himself playing with the biblical story that says that one does not need to add to what God has already done for the lily Matt 6:28 See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

— List of misquotations life

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