I can remember the lush spring excitement of language in childhood. Sitting in church, rolling it around my mouth like read more

I can remember the lush spring excitement of language in childhood. Sitting in church, rolling it around my mouth like marbles--tabernacle and pharisee and parable, tresspass and Babylon and covenant.

Our native language is like a second skin, so much a part of us we resist the idea that it read more

Our native language is like a second skin, so much a part of us we resist the idea that it is constantly changing, constantly being renewed.

Male supremacy is fused into the language, so that every sentence both heralds and affirms it.

Male supremacy is fused into the language, so that every sentence both heralds and affirms it.

Icky icky icky icky fKANG zoop-boing n zowzyin...

Icky icky icky icky fKANG zoop-boing n zowzyin...

Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have a different effect.

Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have a different effect.

For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies read more

For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies have only to find it.

Grammar, which knows how to lord it over kings, and with high
hands makes them obey its laws.
read more

Grammar, which knows how to lord it over kings, and with high
hands makes them obey its laws.
[Fr., La grammaire, qui sait regenter jusqu'aux rois,
Et les fait, la main haute, obeir a ses lois.]

Great Britain and the United States are nations separated by a
common language.

Great Britain and the United States are nations separated by a
common language.

Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter!

Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter!