WIST Quotations

Jones, Terry -- “Powell Speaks with Forked Tongue,” The Observer (23 Feb 2003)

Dave — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:12:53 +0000

Ludicrous concepts […] like the whole idea of a “war on terrorism”. You can wage war against another country, or on a national group within your own country, but you can’t wage war on an abstract noun. How do you know when you’ve won? When you’ve got it removed from the Oxford English Dictionary?

Terry Jones (1942–2020) Welsh comedian, screenwriter, director, author
“Powell Speaks with Forked Tongue,” The Observer (23 Feb 2003)

Jones, Terry -- “Powell Speaks with Forked Tongue,” The Observer (23 Feb 2003)

Dave — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:11:39 +0000

When men in power propose doing something that is shameful, wrong and destructive, the first casualty is the English language. It would matter less if it were the only casualty. But if they carry on perverting our vocabulary and twisting our grammar, the result will spell death for many who are now alive.

Terry Jones (1942–2020) Welsh comedian, screenwriter, director, author
“Powell Speaks with Forked Tongue,” The Observer (23 Feb 2003)

Jones, Terry -- Labyrinth (1986)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

SARAH: That’s not fair!
JARETH: You keep saying that. I wonder what your basis for comparison is?

Terry Jones (1942–2020) Welsh comedian, screenwriter, director, author
Labyrinth (1986)

(with Dennis Lee and Jim Henson)

Jones, Terry -- The Daily Telegraph (1 Dec 2001)

Dave — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:25:11 +0000

Saying “We will destroy terrorism” is about as meaningful as saying: “We shall annihilate mockery.”

Terry Jones (1942–2020) Welsh comedian, screenwriter, director, author
The Daily Telegraph (1 Dec 2001)

Jones, Terry -- Aspen Comedy Festival (1998)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

There was nothing funny about what Christ said and what’s funny really is the fact that Christ said all these really good things about Love Thy Neighbor and everything, and then for the next two thousand years people are killing each other and torturing each other because they can’t quite decide how he said it.

Terry Jones (1942–2020) Welsh comedian, screenwriter, director, author
Aspen Comedy Festival (1998)