Favorite Misattributed Quotation

[Burningsok]

ya it does look similar. It's "Ask not what your country can do for you." I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to say it that way. It probably just came out wrong.

How is this wrong?

Kennedy had impeccable grammar; it was one of his better qualities.

Now, he did have a thick accent, and he tended to say 'firstly,' secondly,' etc. (which is improper), but other than that his excellent diction was mainly why he's remembered as an intellectual.

no, no it's now wrong. But that's all i remember him saying is that part of the saying. What you put down only shorter. I agree though he was very intelligent.

 

[TheRocketeer]

no, no it's now wrong. But that's all i remember him saying is that part of the saying. What you put down only shorter. I agree though he was very intelligent.

Ah, I think I get what you meant.

But I never said I thought JFK was very intelligent.

 

[JemJar]

"One for all and all for one" / "All for one and one for all"

Both are said in The Three Musketeers (the former only by D'Artagnan, the latter by all four) but only ONCE.

And possibly more importantly, just how negative that legendary Bill Shankly quote actually was when left in context. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/gordonfarquhar/2009/10/the_real_meaning_of_sport.html]

 

[Spacewolf]

i think people seem to be confusing misattributed with misquoted

 

[Dr. wonderful]

"Hey! listen!"

 

[caprisun]

"God helps those who helps themselves"

Appears nowhere in the bible, and is completly against the message of the bible, yet it is one of the more popular phrases of the religious right to try and justify the policies they support.

 

[Echo3Delta]

In the U.S., most people think the phrase, "separation of church and state" is in our Constitution.

 

[JemJar]

"God helps those who helps themselves"

Appears nowhere in the bible, and is completly against the message of the bible, yet it is one of the more popular phrases of the religious right to try and justify the policies they support.

Otherwise people might realise that most religions are fundamentally socialist/communist and the American Christian right would tear itself apart...

 

[NewGeekPhilosopher]

"God helps those who helps themselves"

Appears nowhere in the bible, and is completly against the message of the bible, yet it is one of the more popular phrases of the religious right to try and justify the policies they support.

Otherwise people might realise that most religions are fundamentally socialist/communist and the American Christian right would tear itself apart...

Hah ha, irony.

My favourite misattributed Quotation is:

"What is a man? A MISERABLE PILE OF SECRETS!" - whoa, slow down Dracula, I don't think the kids are going to get straight away you're quoting a German philosopher in a Castlevania game...

EDIT: My response

 

[Twilight_guy]

"rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated"
Mark Twain never said this... he never really even got close to saying it really. Still, it sounds awesome.

 

[SeaCalMaster]

In the U.S., most people think the phrase, "separation of church and state" is in our Constitution.

Really? I would argue that the vast majority are aware that that phrase isn't in the Constitution. That does not, however, keep the First Amendment from embodying that idea.

OT: One of my favorite quotations is "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics." It usually gets tied to Mark Twain, who was himself (mis)quoting Benjamin Disraeli.

 

[DkLnBr]

"Let them eat cake" - Queen Marie Antoinette didn't say it.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

"Immature artists imitate. Mature artists steal."
Normally attributed to T.S. Eliot, but in fact - to prove his point, perhaps - Eliot stole it from William Blake.