[PW] Request scans of G.B. Shaw attributed quotation in 1942 "The Listener"

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com
Fri Mar 4 06:18:53 PST 2016

A famous quotation about language in the U.S. and England has been
attributed to George Bernard Shaw. The earliest known linkage to Shaw
was apparently published in "The Listener" in 1942. This message is a
request to anyone who has access to the digital archive of "The
Listener" in the Gale NewsVault. Here is the citation data. Would you
please send me scans of the article containing the following passage?

Periodical: The Listener
Publisher: British Broadcasting Corporation, London
Date: October 29, 1942,
Volume 28, Number 720,
Quote Page 550, Column 1

[Begin excerpt]
Don't forget what Bernard Shaw said: that we are two peoples separated
by a common language.
[End excerpt]

It would also be helpful if you checked the correctness of this metadata.

If you have "The Listener" on paper or microfilm and you are willing
to make scans of the article that would also be great.

An important precursor of this quotation appeared in Oscar Wilde's
1887 story "The Canterville Ghost" - "We have really everything in

(Acknowledgement to researcher Stephen Goranson who found the match in
"The Listener".)

Thanks for any help you can provide.
Garson O'Toole

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