The English language is rather like a monster accordion, stretchable at the whim of the editor, compressible ad lib.

The English language is rather like a monster accordion, stretchable at the whim of the editor, compressible ad lib.

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,

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them

I stand and listen to people speaking french in the stores and in the street. It's such a pert, crisp read more

I stand and listen to people speaking french in the stores and in the street. It's such a pert, crisp language, elegant as ruffling taffeta.

There was speech in their dumbness, language in their very
gesture.

There was speech in their dumbness, language in their very
gesture.

A laudation in Greek is of marvellous efficacy on the title-page
of a book.
[Fr., Une louange en read more

A laudation in Greek is of marvellous efficacy on the title-page
of a book.
[Fr., Une louange en grec est d'une merveilleuse efficace a la
tete d'un livre.]

Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.

Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.

The coldest word was once a glowing new metaphor.

The coldest word was once a glowing new metaphor.

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.