WIST Quotations

Milne, A. A. -- Winnie-the-Pooh, ch. 6 “Eeyore Has a Birthday” [Pooh] (1926)

Dave — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:27:57 +0000

Because my spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.

A. A. Milne (1882-1956) English poet and playwright [Alan Alexander Milne]
Winnie-the-Pooh, ch. 6 “Eeyore Has a Birthday” [Pooh] (1926)
(Source)

Rogers, Will -- Column (1933-01-04), “Daily Telegram: Will Rogers Interviews Forgotten Man”

Dave — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:51:04 +0000

What do you think of Technocracy?
Nothing you can’t spell will ever work.

Will Rogers (1879-1935) American humorist
Column (1933-01-04), “Daily Telegram: Will Rogers Interviews Forgotten Man”
(Source)

In later collections, only the answer is given.

Burgess, Anthony -- A Mouthful of Air: Language, Languages … Especially English, ch. 21 “Sounds from the Past” (1992)

Dave — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:18:13 +0000

Languages never stand still. Modern spelling crystallizes lost pronunciations: the visual never quite catches up with the aural.

Anthony Burgess (1917-1993) English novelist
A Mouthful of Air: Language, Languages … Especially English, ch. 21 “Sounds from the Past” (1992)
(Source)

Milne, A. A. -- House at Pooh Corner, ch. 5 “Rabbit Has a Busy Day” (1928)

Dave — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:21:56 +0000

And he respects Owl, because you can’t help respecting anyone who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn’t spell it right; but spelling isn’t everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn’t count.

A. A. Milne (1882-1956) English poet and playwright [Alan Alexander Milne]
House at Pooh Corner, ch. 5 “Rabbit Has a Busy Day” (1928)

Rabbit, speaking to himself about Christopher Robin.

Safire, William -- Language Maven Strikes Again, “Drudgery It Ain’t” (1990)

Dave — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 17:30:56 +0000

The dictionaries should get with it; in pronunciation and ultimately in usage, when enough of us are wrong, we’re right.

William Safire (1929-2009) American author, columnist, journalist, speechwriter
Language Maven Strikes Again, “Drudgery It Ain’t” (1990)
(Source)

Often paraphrased: "The thing about language is that, when enough of us are wrong, we're right."