[Ads-l] lie

Wed Jul 15 17:37:11 UTC 2026

Yes, a giveaway is the comment (in connection with the Emu War, not part of
my education) "While this wasn't a deliberate lie, it was an embarrassing
episode that became a myth in popular culture".  I'd have thought if it
"wasn't a deliberate lie" it wasn't a lie.  Sort of like an unintentional
murder.

LH

On Wed, Jul 15, 2026 at 12:38 PM Jonathan Lighter <
00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

>
> https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/18-history-lessons-teacher-lied-122454746.html
> :
>
> Readers Digest    18 History Lessons Your Teacher Lied to You About
>
>  The news is fake too.
>
> JL
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 14, 2026 at 7:30 AM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > "An error, misinterpretation, etc."
> >
> >
> >
> https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/10-famous-lies-changed-world-124949212.html
> > :
> >
> > "In 1989, scientists announced they had achieved cold fusion, a
> > breakthrough that promised unlimited, cheap energy. Unfortunately, it
> was a
> > lie. The experiment was a failure, and the scientific community quickly
> > debunked the claims."
> >
> > When anything untrue can be called a "lie," people are never just
> > mistaken, they're trying to hoodwink you.
> >
> > JL
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 9:13 AM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> This guy says "You've been lied to about sword-fighting."
> >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJzEfF4Ab7k
> >>
> >> 'Unintentionally misled.'
> >>
> >> A real sword fight only took a few seconds.
> >>
> >> JL
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sat, May 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Youtube show about Latin:
> >>>
> >>> "The lie is that there were two languages: Classical Lantin and Vulgar
> >>> Latin."
> >>>
> >>> Popular misconception.
> >>>
> >>> JL
> >>>
> >>> On Fri, Mar 7, 2025 at 7:59 PM Jonathan Lighter <
> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> >>> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> A physics doc on YouTube informs us that the idea that a proton
> >>>> consists of three quarks " is another lie they told you" in school.
> >>>>
> >>>> A misconception or simplification.
> >>>> JL
> >>>>
> >>>> On Sat, Jun 8, 2024 at 9:18 PM Jonathan Lighter <
> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> I read the book long ago. Yes, he meant the textbook authors were the
> >>>>> "liars," because they simplified or glossed over various facts -
> primarily
> >>>>> in books for teenagers.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I suppose "lies" is catchier than "simplifications and omissions,"
> but
> >>>>> it certainly implies cynical deception.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> JL
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Sat, Jun 8, 2024 at 8:58 PM Baker, John <
> >>>>> 000014a9c79c3f97-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> The book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History
> >>>>>> Textbook Got Wrong, by James W. Loewen (1995), may be responsible
> for the
> >>>>>> popularization of this usage.  I have not read the book, but if I
> >>>>>> understand Loewen’s point, his argument actually was that the lies
> were
> >>>>>> those of the textbook authors (i.e., teachers were not necessarily
> lying).
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> John Baker
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> On Behalf
> Of
> >>>>>> Jonathan Lighter
> >>>>>> Sent: Saturday, June 8, 2024 8:42 PM
> >>>>>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >>>>>> Subject: Re: lie
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> External Email - Think Before You Click
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "Easy Latin Lessons" on YouTube, Lesson 38:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> "Today's story contains a lie that you might have been taught in
> >>>>>> elementary
> >>>>>> school....And maybe the lie will help you remember the new words
> >>>>>> better."
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> The so-called "lie" is the erroneous belief that educated people in
> >>>>>> 1492
> >>>>>> thought the earth was flat.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> JL
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On Wed, Jun 5, 2024 at 7:28 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com<mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> > "Thing You Were Lied to About Dinosaurs"
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> > Things You Were Lied to About Dinosaurs | Watch (msn.com)
> >>>>>> > <
> >>>>>>
> https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/things-you-were-lied-to-about-dinosaurs/vi-BB1lncBZ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ACTS&cvid=70b8d7bef09142f58a0cd0a74953d779&ei=11
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>>>
> https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/things-you-were-lied-to-about-dinosaurs/vi-BB1lncBZ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ACTS&cvid=70b8d7bef09142f58a0cd0a74953d779&ei=11
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> > In this case the "lies" are "myths and misconceptions", e.g.
> >>>>>> "dinosaurs
> >>>>>> > were green, scary monsters." (Great CGI, though.)
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> > JL
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> > On Tue, May 10, 2022 at 8:31 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com<mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> > wrote:
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>>
> https://news.yahoo.com/seismic-shift-fractures-evangelicals-arkansas-185525279.html
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>>>
> https://news.yahoo.com/seismic-shift-fractures-evangelicals-arkansas-185525279.html
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >> :
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >> “This mindset that Christianity and politics, and the preacher
> and
> >>>>>> >> politics, need to be separate, that’s a lie,” he said.
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >> JL
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >> On Mon, Nov 15, 2021 at 8:30 PM Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com<mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> >> wrote:
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/22-things-were-taught-school-064603650.html
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/22-things-were-taught-school-064603650.html
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>> "ROY G BIV Is A Lie, And 21 Other Fake 'Facts' Our Teachers
> >>>>>> Taught Us
> >>>>>> >>> As Kids"
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>> JL
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>> On Sat, Oct 16, 2021 at 4:20 PM Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com<mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> >>> wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>>> Cf.:
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/horses-cnn-contributor-slams-networks-161600893.html
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/horses-cnn-contributor-slams-networks-161600893.html
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>> <
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/horses-cnn-contributor-slams-networks-161600893.html
> >>>>>> <
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/horses-cnn-contributor-slams-networks-161600893.html
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> "would you say that when you’re talking about a drug that has
> >>>>>> been
> >>>>>> >>>> given out to billions and billions of people?” Rogan asked
> >>>>>> Gupta. “A drug
> >>>>>> >>>> that the inventors won a Nobel Prize in 2015, a drug that has
> >>>>>> been shown to
> >>>>>> >>>> stop viral replication in vitro. You know that, right? Why
> would
> >>>>>> they lie
> >>>>>> >>>> and say that’s horse dewormer? [...] Do you think that that's a
> >>>>>> problem
> >>>>>> >>>> that your news network lies?"
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> Ivermectin, the drug at issue, *is* a horse dewormer. The
> >>>>>> terminology
> >>>>>> >>>> was complicated by the fact that it's also prescribed for
> >>>>>> parasitic river
> >>>>>> >>>> blindness in humans. Rogan got a prescription for it (he
> doesn't
> >>>>>> have river
> >>>>>> >>>> blindness).
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> Said in passing by Don Lemon, the characterization "horse
> >>>>>> dewormer"
> >>>>>> >>>> would more accurately be called a "misnomer" or even a
> >>>>>> "tendentious choice
> >>>>>> >>>> of words."
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> But nowadays it's a "lie."
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> JL
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> On Thu, Sep 23, 2021 at 3:39 PM Mark Mandel <
> >>>>>> markamandel at gmail.com<mailto:markamandel at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> They lie flat, as opposed to flat-out lying
> >>>>>> >>>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> MAM. .
> >>>>>> >>>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> On Thu, Sep 23, 2021, 1:03 PM Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com
> >>>>>> <mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com%0b>>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > So you can't trust the inconstant moon either.
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > I trust the flat-earthers. They have no reason to lie.
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > JL
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > On Thu, Sep 23, 2021 at 12:25 PM Mark Mandel <
> >>>>>> markamandel at gmail.com<mailto:markamandel at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > Well, the Moon always lies *in the northern hemisphere*.
> In
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> >>>>> Tropics
> >>>>>> >>>>> > her
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > path takes her through or near the zenith on her monthly
> >>>>>> apparent
> >>>>>> >>>>> journey
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > from east to west and the edge of the shadow is roughly
> >>>>>> parallel
> >>>>>> >>>>> to that
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > line, so it depends on which way you're facing. And in the
> >>>>>> southern
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > hemisphere she tells the truth.
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > Mark A. Mandel
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > On Wed, Sep 22, 2021, 4:38 PM Laurence Horn <
> >>>>>> >>>>> laurence.horn at yale.edu<mailto:laurence.horn at yale.edu>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > On Sep 22, 2021, at 4:03 PM, Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> >>>>> > wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM<mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>>
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/thought-knew-sun-color-lie-133422094.html<
> >>>>>>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/thought-knew-sun-color-lie-133422094.html>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > :
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > What You Thought You Knew About the Sun’s Color Is a
> Lie
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > (People say it's yellow, but it's really white.
> Liars!)
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > JL
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > I don’t know—from the write-up it looks like it’s the
> sun
> >>>>>> that's
> >>>>>> >>>>> the
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > liar. I was told the moon always lies (it makes a
> capital
> >>>>>> D
> >>>>>> >>>>> when it’s
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > crescent and a C when it’s decrescent), but apparently
> >>>>>> you can’t
> >>>>>> >>>>> trust
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > any
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > heavenly bodies. Or even Springsteen:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > The piss-yellow sun
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > Comes bringing up the day
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > She said "Ain't nobody can give nobody
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > What they really need anyway”
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > (“Dry Lightning”)
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > Is nothing sacred?
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > LH
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 10:19 AM Dan Goncharoff <
> >>>>>> >>>>> thegonch at gmail.com<mailto:thegonch at gmail.com>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> Interesting how one deals with opinions expressed as
> >>>>>> facts,
> >>>>>> >>>>> > especially
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > when
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> they are found to be wrong later. Are they
> Schrodinger
> >>>>>> >>>>> statements,
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > only
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> found to be true or false once we "open the box"?
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> On Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 10:05 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com<mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> wrote:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> 'any idea or statement that is untrue or that one
> >>>>>> disagrees
> >>>>>> >>>>> with.'
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> I've been hearing this a lot on cable news, though
> >>>>>> not from
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > journalists.
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> Ex.:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> Quora.com: "Electrons absolutely positively do not
> >>>>>> whizz
> >>>>>> >>>>> around
> >>>>>> >>>>> > the
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> nucleus of an atom. That idea is a lie-to-children,
> a
> >>>>>> >>>>> > simplification
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > told
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> [to] young kids in grade school."
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> CNN: "Rugged individualism is a lie."
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> Also v.:
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> Protest sign seen on FOX News: "FAUCI LIED PEOPLE
> >>>>>> DIED"
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> JL
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> --
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you
> >>>>>> can't
> >>>>>> >>>>> handle the
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> truth."
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>> The American Dialect Society -
> >>>>>> >>>>> http://www.americandialect.org<http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>
> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >> The American Dialect Society -
> >>>>>> http://www.americandialect.org<http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > --
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you
> can't
> >>>>>> >>>>> handle the
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > truth."
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > >
> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > > The American Dialect Society -
> >>>>>> http://www.americandialect.org<http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > > The American Dialect Society -
> >>>>>> http://www.americandialect.org<http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> > > The American Dialect Society -
> >>>>>> http://www.americandialect.org<http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>> >>>>> > >
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > --
> >>>>>> >>>>> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't
> >>>>>> handle the
> >>>>>> >>>>> truth."
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> > The American Dialect Society -
> http://www.americandialect.org
> >>>>>> <http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>> >>>>> >
> >>>>>> >>>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> >>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> <
> >>>>>> http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>> >>>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>> --
> >>>>>> >>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> >>>> truth."
> >>>>>> >>>>
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>> --
> >>>>>> >>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle
> >>>>>> the
> >>>>>> >>> truth."
> >>>>>> >>>
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >> --
> >>>>>> >> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle
> the
> >>>>>> >> truth."
> >>>>>> >>
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>> > --
> >>>>>> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle
> the
> >>>>>> truth."
> >>>>>> >
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> --
> >>>>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >>>>>> truth."
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org<
> >>>>>> http://www.americandialect.org>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> --
> >>>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >>>>> truth."
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >>>> truth."
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >>> truth."
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >> truth."
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
> >
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org