Sound Bites

Oxford dictionaries draw their strength from a constant monitoring of the language, and quotations from the daily torrent of words in the world around us, in print or on the air, are regularly added to our database. Our quarterly sound bites give a first view of sayings which have caught the public attention, and which might one day be added to one of our collections.

Sound bites October-December 2009

The Hand of Frog.
Anonymous headline in tabloid newspapers, after French footballer Thierry Henry's handball knocked Ireland out of the World Cup qualifiers

fvdfzsrsazxzzxcvbnmadgfhjjkqwrtyuuuiop
Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, mystery tweet which she later explained as 'junior tweet interference'

If you saw him, it would be a big crush. I mean, he is so vibrant, vital, attractive, smart. He's a really good guy. And he's so young!
Hillary Clinton, American lawyer and politician, on British Foreign Secretary David Miliband

I'm slowly falling apart and feel like a walking spare parts depot.
Jane Fonda, American actress, on her replacement knee and hip

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.
Kate Moss, English model, quoting a saying used by anorexics when asked for her motto

To work out how to operate a television set, you practically have to make love to the thing.
Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II

Hair blows in the wind.
After years there is still wind.
Sadly no more hair.
Herman Van Rompuy, Belgian statesman, President of the European Council

I wish someone would give me one shred of neutral evidence that financial innovation has led to economic
growth—one shred of evidence.
Paul Volcker, American economist

Perhaps by God's grace we shall learn how to create a society in which real dependence is celebrated and safeguarded, not regarded with embarrassment or abused by the powerful and greedy.
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

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