Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides.

Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides.

Language is a city to the building of which every human being
brought a stone.
- read more

Language is a city to the building of which every human being
brought a stone.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson,

We defend ourself with descriptions and tame the world by generalizing.

We defend ourself with descriptions and tame the world by generalizing.

The finest language is mostly made up of simple unimposing words.

The finest language is mostly made up of simple unimposing words.

Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows
Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows
Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

All true language is incomprehensible, like the chatter of a beggar's teeth.

All true language is incomprehensible, like the chatter of a beggar's teeth.

Language is memory and metaphor.

Language is memory and metaphor.

It's no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase "As pretty as an airport" appear

It's no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase "As pretty as an airport" appear

When a language creates -- as it does -- a community within the present, it does so only by courtesy read more

When a language creates -- as it does -- a community within the present, it does so only by courtesy of a community between the present and the past.