Who originally quoted: "The more things change, the more they stay the same" ?

Question

I have been trying to find out who was the originator of this quote. If you happen to know, please let me know who it is and also please include the source to verify it. Thanks!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME

The proverb is of French origin and was used by the French novelist Alphonse Karr (1808-90). It also appears in George Bernard Shaw's 'Revolutionist's Handbook' (1903). Listed in the 1946 'Macmillan (Home) Book of Proverbs, Maxims and Familiar Phrases' by Burton Stevenson and in the 1992 'Dictionary of American Proverbs' by Wolfgang Mieder et al." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

Source(s):

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board… (great site btw)

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Answer was very precise and detailed. Thank you!

Answer 2

Don't know if H.M. Peters got person right - but is correct that it was originally in the French. Became almost a proverb.

Answer 3

omg! i did! i swear!

Answer 4

All of the above are wrong. It was first said by Alphonse Karr, in French. The original wording is: "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose."

Answer 5

It's a proverb.

Source(s):

http://en.thinkexist.com/search/searchQu…

Answer 6

I'm not sure who said it first but Kurt Russell said it as Snake Pliskin in the movie "Escape from LA", the sequel to the classic "Escape from New York"