Brain Teasers
Familiar Misquotes Series IV
Whenever a phrase or sentence becomes part of the common language, there is a strong possibility that it will be quoted inaccurately.
Over the course of time, a letter gets shifted or a word is changed and forevermore the quotation becomes a cliche that nobody ever gets quite right.
Try to complete each proverbial cliche:
1.) " I only regret that I have but one life to ______ for my country." - Nathan Hale
2.) "Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no ______ ."
3.) "Music hath charms to soothe ______ ." - William Congreve
Over the course of time, a letter gets shifted or a word is changed and forevermore the quotation becomes a cliche that nobody ever gets quite right.
Try to complete each proverbial cliche:
1.) " I only regret that I have but one life to ______ for my country." - Nathan Hale
2.) "Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no ______ ."
3.) "Music hath charms to soothe ______ ." - William Congreve
Answer
1.) lose2.) fibs
3.) a savage breast
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Comments
Enjoyed this one. This is a very good series!
Its amazing to see how things change as time goes on.
Excellent! Much prefer this original version of Nathan Hale's famous quote.
i'm confused, are the answers the originals or the misquoted versions?
Those are the true answers, they became more commonly known and used as 'music soothes the savage beast' for example.
Cool, interesting teaser, although it seems to me that it would fit better in the trivia category than language.
I got them all wrong. I did, however, get all the misquotes correct. Very interesting!! I enjoyed it and learned something. Good teaser.
I'm also confused! Are the given answers what was said by Nathan Hale, ..., and William Congreve?
I know all the misquotes. I just didn't realize they were misquotes. I like this one, I learned something that I did not know. Thanks!!
Whoa! That was really good. Nice Job!! I was so used to hearing the wrong one I had no idea!!
Like everyone else I misquoted 2 of them, did get #3 tho. For some reason I learned that one correctly. Good lesson for the day for everyone.
I never knew that. Thanks for the history lesson.
Wake up and smell the roses.Oops thats as old as the teaser,
My only out was that I wasn't too certain until I checked for the correct quotes, before grading the teaser. A Totlly Outstanding teaser! Keep up the magnificent work and bring on more!
Very enjoyable teaser! I got 2 out of 3, guess I should have had my coffee first!!
I thought I knew the answers to these, glad to find out the real answers thanks
I've actually heard these before, or I would've missed, not one, but all three.
Well, I got all three wrong, but I had the right misquotes I'm a little confused by the last one though, I've seen savage beasts, but I've never seen a savage breast
Yeah, I had no idea about the misquotes. You learn something new everyday!
There is no denying it! Misquotes are heard more frequently than the true quotes! Excellent teaser!
i was confuesed too. i liked the idea of the teaser but i was still confuesed. i read the answer and i never knew i was saying them wrong u learn somethin new everyday!
I had to 'give' 'lies' to the 'savage beast' when I answered and therefore got them all wrong! It's always interesting to see how our language has changed with the times. Fun.
Got me - got me- got me. I ended up feeling 'duh'.
Thank you all for your comments.
Very interesting! I knew all of those quotes, but as the teaser stated, with a wrong word or two in them. I had no idea they were wrong too!
Your "misquote" is actually a correct quote. Nathan Hale did say "lose."
There are several reliable websites that share this quote, one of which is Bartleby's Quotations -
http://www.bartleby.com/59/11/ionlyregrett.html.
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country..." Words spoken by the patriot Nathan Hale, who was executed as a spy by the British in 1776.
There are several reliable websites that share this quote, one of which is Bartleby's Quotations -
http://www.bartleby.com/59/11/ionlyregrett.html.
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country..." Words spoken by the patriot Nathan Hale, who was executed as a spy by the British in 1776.
CORRECTING MISTAKES IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING.
I'M SURE AS CAN BE SEEN BY THE COMMENTS, YOU ENLIGHTENED MANY PEOPLE.
THERE ARE NO ACTUAL FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS OF HALE'S SPEECH (AT THE GALOWS)
HALE MAY INFACT BEEN PARAPHRASING JOSEPH ADDISON'S 1713 PLAY CATCO.
I SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FOR CONSIDERATION.
How beautiful is death, when earn'd by virtue!
Who would not be that youth? What pity is it
That we can die but once to serve our country.
ENJOY!
I'M SURE AS CAN BE SEEN BY THE COMMENTS, YOU ENLIGHTENED MANY PEOPLE.
THERE ARE NO ACTUAL FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS OF HALE'S SPEECH (AT THE GALOWS)
HALE MAY INFACT BEEN PARAPHRASING JOSEPH ADDISON'S 1713 PLAY CATCO.
I SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FOR CONSIDERATION.
How beautiful is death, when earn'd by virtue!
Who would not be that youth? What pity is it
That we can die but once to serve our country.
ENJOY!
Nice follow up Imurray. And neat teaser. I guess I have been saying them wrong all these years too.
Jan 23, 2007
I believe you were trying to quote the correct answers. However, I don't think you meant to say that music tames a savage "BREAST".
I wonder what a savage breast would even look like.
I wonder what a savage breast would even look like.
"Savage breast" is correct. Breast as in heart, not boob.
"breast /brɛst/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[brest] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
[...]
5. the bosom conceived of as the center of emotion: What anger lay in his breast when he made that speech?"
-Dictionary.com
"breast /brɛst/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[brest] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
[...]
5. the bosom conceived of as the center of emotion: What anger lay in his breast when he made that speech?"
-Dictionary.com
Oh thank you for posting this teaser! Misquotes bother me endlessly; it is soo nice to see someone that notices it as well. Great!
AWESOME!!! It's amazing to actually love a teaser where I got none of them right! I guess it's because I love to learn!!
Kudos to you for bringing these into the light!
Kudos to you for bringing these into the light!
Oh my! I had them all wrong. How nice to have the correct quotes.
And what lovely quotes you selected. Thanks!
And what lovely quotes you selected. Thanks!
It's probably a good thing that the last one somehow became "beast" instead of "breast." It just doesn't seem to have the same connotations nowadays
Nice teaser.
Not a bad teaser, got two of them right.
A friend in need is a friend indeed?
Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no FIBS. I laughed out loud at this. It may be correct, but is sure loses something. Think I'll stick with lies.
Are they really misquotes if the actual meaning is unchanged? OK, the words may not be exactly the same, but there is no real difference between using "fibs" and "lies", or "give" and "lose". Breast/beast, on the other hand, is a good example where the meaning of the phrase is altered.
I am with the person who said they did not get it. I did not get it either. I did not know the sayings as I know them were not correct. We never learned that in school. How does one know that??
In the TOTD of yesterday somebody said they would wager $10,000 ("on the table - in advance") with anybody on a game of 9ball.
I can't do it but if my sis (LittleGreenMan) were available I'm sure she would take up on it and even give you 2-1 odds.
She's on assignment in Turkey and can't use an unauthorized computer but here's one I will do ....
*I'll wager anybody here $10,000 that THIS TOTD (March 2 won't get more than three additional comments here in the Comments section.
I'm comfortable with the offer because Braingle is dying ... (very few comments or votes on TOTDs and - especially - new teasers).
And nobody seems to care.
So sad ... very, very sad.
Read my additional comments on the TOTD of a few days ago ("Figure It Out" #28627).
Any takers?
- The BunnyBunch -
Still Laughing
I can't do it but if my sis (LittleGreenMan) were available I'm sure she would take up on it and even give you 2-1 odds.
She's on assignment in Turkey and can't use an unauthorized computer but here's one I will do ....
*I'll wager anybody here $10,000 that THIS TOTD (March 2 won't get more than three additional comments here in the Comments section.
I'm comfortable with the offer because Braingle is dying ... (very few comments or votes on TOTDs and - especially - new teasers).
And nobody seems to care.
So sad ... very, very sad.
Read my additional comments on the TOTD of a few days ago ("Figure It Out" #28627).
Any takers?
- The BunnyBunch -
Still Laughing
That should read .... (from above) ...
I'll wager anybody here $10,000 that THIS TOTD (March 28 won't get more than three additional comments here in the Comments section).
And you can count THIS one .. if you like.
I'll wager anybody here $10,000 that THIS TOTD (March 28 won't get more than three additional comments here in the Comments section).
And you can count THIS one .. if you like.
That was a fun quiz. Not too hard not too easy I got 2 of them.
And as for that comment from bad bunnee02, you owe someone 10 grand. I have noticed that we get more comments when you don't comment. Anyways I see your comment is gone . Does that mean you renege on the BET?
Wrong THRICE .... mepap ....
01. The wager was offered for a TAKER ... not a claimant "post facto" ... what? Do you wager on horseraces AFTER the race is over?
02. None of my comments "disappeared". The ONE you "could count" (as one of the three) was the one that contained the statement.
03. The appearance of any of the "BunnyBunch" does not affect the overall average of comments. We intentionally "stayed off" the boards for 30 consecutive days - as promised when this issue was raised previously - and the average number of comments did not significantly vary from the times we DID make comments.
Perhaps a bit of scientific research would you do you well instead of circulating wild and biased rumor.
Anyways (to use your vernacular instead of "anyway") you are still refusing to discuss the truth of the matter.
Braingle is withering ... and it's because nobody cares enough to resuscitate the finest language website on the net.
us (still laughing)
01. The wager was offered for a TAKER ... not a claimant "post facto" ... what? Do you wager on horseraces AFTER the race is over?
02. None of my comments "disappeared". The ONE you "could count" (as one of the three) was the one that contained the statement.
03. The appearance of any of the "BunnyBunch" does not affect the overall average of comments. We intentionally "stayed off" the boards for 30 consecutive days - as promised when this issue was raised previously - and the average number of comments did not significantly vary from the times we DID make comments.
Perhaps a bit of scientific research would you do you well instead of circulating wild and biased rumor.
Anyways (to use your vernacular instead of "anyway") you are still refusing to discuss the truth of the matter.
Braingle is withering ... and it's because nobody cares enough to resuscitate the finest language website on the net.
us (still laughing)
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