Buzz
Misquotes are abundant, widespread, and often unavoidable. For example, Hamlet’s line, “Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio” (5.1.190-1), is often incorrectly recalled as “Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him well.” Similarly, Darth Vader’s famous line in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is frequently misquoted as “Luke, I am your father” instead of the accurate “No, I am your father.”
Quotations are often altered or wrongly attributed for various reasons. In some instances, like Vader’s statement, it’s to provide clarity. Other times, the original phrasing may be awkward or difficult to translate. Misattributions also occur because they feel correct, even if they aren’t. Regardless of the cause, here are ten sayings that are frequently misquoted or misattributed, or both.
10. “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
Many assume this phrase was coined by P. T. Barnum, the 19th-century entertainer famous for his museum of oddities and tricks. However, there’s no proof he ever said this. Arthur H. Saxon, Barnum’s biographer, notes that “There’s no record of it from his time.” The saying has been linked to Adam Forepaugh and David Hannum, who used it in reference to Barnum, their rival.
The origin of this phrase predates its popular association. The first recorded instance appeared in an 1806 article in European Magazine: “One of the tribes of Levi remarked, after someone expressed amazement at his ability to sell worthless goods, ‘That there vash von fool born every minute.’” Since Barnum was born in 1810, he couldn’t have been responsible for this saying.
9. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon in 1969, he famously said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” However, this isn’t what he actually uttered. Armstrong clarified that he intended to say, “one small step for a man,” which aligns better with the intended meaning. The misquoted version conflates “man” and “mankind,” while the inclusion of “a” emphasizes the individual’s action.
In his official biography, First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong (2005), authored by James R. Hansen, Armstrong suggests that the “a” might not have been captured by the microphone. He adds that if he did omit it, he hoped “history would forgive the oversight and recognize it was unintentional.” NASA accommodated this by including the “a” in their official transcript.
8. “The ends justify the means.”
Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532) is often misinterpreted as a manual for unethical behavior, with its core idea distilled into the phrase “the ends justify the means.” However, those who have read the text know this exact phrase is absent. Although his name is linked to deceit and treachery, Machiavelli did not advocate for pure villainy.
The essence of this idea is best captured when he suggests that a ruler should “remain virtuous when possible but be prepared to act immorally when necessary.” Thus, a more precise reflection of Machiavelli’s political philosophy would be “the ends occasionally justify the means.” The true origin of this sentiment lies with the Roman poet Ovid, who wrote in his Heroides, “Exitus acta probat,” meaning “the outcome justifies the actions.”
7. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Often attributed to Confucius, these inspiring words are actually from his contemporary, Lao Tzu. They originate from the ancient Chinese text Tao Te Ching, or Dao De Jing, dating back to around 400 BC.
The popular version of this saying isn’t entirely accurate. The original text states, “the journey of a thousand li begins with a single step.” A li is a traditional Chinese unit of distance, equivalent to about 360 miles. While 360 lacks the punch of a thousand, the adaptation is understandable.
6. “Hell is just a frame of mind.”
A quick Google search will attribute this quote to Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus (c. 1592/3). However, the exact phrase doesn’t appear in the play, though the idea is present. Mephistophilis, the demon summoned by Faustus, warns about the nature of hell: “Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed / In one self-place; but where we are is hell; / And where hell is, there must we ever be” (5.120-2).
Mephistophilis argues that hell isn’t a physical place but a state of existence—or, in other words, a mindset. Over time, his speech has been condensed into the now-famous quote associated with the play. While the original lines are far more powerful, they failed to deter Faustus from his doomed choices.
5. “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”
This quote is not only often misattributed but also misinterpreted. Many credit it to Marilyn Monroe, but it was actually written by scholar Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Ulrich’s work focuses on women historically excluded from narratives. The phrase originates from her 1976 paper, “Vertuous Women Found: New England Ministerial Literature, 1668-1735.”
Taken out of context, this quote is often interpreted as a call for women to defy norms, but Ulrich’s intent was to highlight that well-behaved women deserve a place in history. In 2007, she published a book titled Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History, noting that the slogan’s widespread appeal provided “a chance to engage those who might not study history, inspiring them to rethink how history is understood.”
4. “Houston, we have a problem.”
This phrase, born from an explosion during the Apollo 13 moon mission, has become a universal way to signal trouble. However, it’s not what was originally said. Jack Swigert actually stated, “Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” Jim Lovell later echoed, “Uh, Houston, we’ve had a problem.” The more dramatic version, “Houston, we have a problem,” gained fame through the 1995 film Apollo 13.
The Tom Hanks rendition has overshadowed the original in public memory. Screenwriter William Broyles Jr. explained that “We have a problem” felt more immediate and tense than the past perfect tense. Interestingly, NASA itself adopted the misquoted version in 1983 for a radio program title, and it was also used for a 1974 TV movie about the mission.
3. “Don’t fire till you see the whites of their eyes.”
This iconic phrase is often linked to the American Revolutionary War. Johnny Horton’s 1959 song “The Battle of New Orleans” credits Andrew Jackson with a similar command during the War of 1812: “Old Hickory said, ‘We could take ’em by surprise if we didn’t fire our muskets ’til we looked ’em in the eye’.” However, it’s widely believed that Colonel Israel Putnam or Colonel William Prescott first uttered these words at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Historians now doubt whether the command was ever spoken during the battle. Even if it was, it didn’t originate with an American colonel. Evidence suggests Frederick the Great instructed his Prussian troops to wait until they could see their enemies’ eyes before firing. British Royal Navy officers also used similar orders. If Putnam or Prescott did issue this command, they likely borrowed it from earlier sources.
2. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
This statement about free speech is often attributed to Voltaire, but he never actually said or wrote it. The phrase was crafted by Evelyn Beatrice Hall, who wrote under the pseudonym S. G. Tallentyre.
In her 1906 biography, The Friends of Voltaire, Hall used the sentence to encapsulate Voltaire’s views. She even added “was his attitude now” at the end for clarity, but this part is often omitted, leading to the misconception that Voltaire himself coined the phrase. Despite his influence, this famous declaration isn’t his.
1. “The only two certainties in life are death and taxes.”
This well-known saying is often credited to figures like Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin. In 1884, Twain humorously wrote in a letter that he “changed publishers once—and just as sure as death and taxes I never will again.” Similarly, Benjamin Franklin used the phrase in a 1789 letter: “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Even earlier, Daniel Defoe included it in The Political History of the Devil (1726): “things as certain as death and taxes, can be more firmly believed.”
However, none of these individuals actually coined the phrase. The earliest recorded use comes from Christopher Bullock’s 1716 play The Cobbler of Preston, where the character Toby Guzzle declares, “You lye, you are not sure; for I say, Woman, ’tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes.”
