Shifting usage: "Who quoted this?"

[Joel S. Berson]

Now if they'd said "who quothed this?", all would be
okey-dokey.  [Yes, I know the past tense of "queath" is "quoth", but
as all things tend toward regularity ...]

At 3/27/2014 03:20 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole wrote:
>A couple years ago I came across websites with questions of the form
>"Who quoted this?" I believe the queries were asking for the name of
>the person who originated a particular quotation.
>
>I apologize if this has already been discussed ad nauseam
>
>Merriam Webster has:
>quote (verb)
>1. to repeat (a passage, phrase, etc.) from a book, speech, or the
>like, as by way of authority, illustration, etc.
>
>So the meaning of the verb has shifted for some speakers. Here are
>two examples.
>
>https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120426210420AAu5k9Z
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>Do you know who quoted this?
>who quoted:
>"family is not about blood it's about who is willing to hold your hand
>when you need it the most"
>Update 1: other than me obviously Looney, you know what i meant :p
>[End excerpt]
>
>One response:
>[Begin excerpt]
>You just quoted it.
>[End excerpt]
>
>
>http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?32643-Who-quoted-it
>
>11-29-2011, 07:37 PM #1
>Bruce M (offline Senior Member)
>Join Date  Dec 2008
>Location Chesapeake VA
>Subject: Who quoted it?
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>     Im a big fan of good quotes and I just remembered this stupid game
>we played in school where someone would tell a quote and we had to
>guess who quoted it. I'll start.
>     "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments
>of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge
>and controversy"
>
>     EZ one, I know, but its one of my favorites.
>[End excerpt]
>
>Garson
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org