Quotes About Language

In school you learned to write as if the reader Were in constant danger of getting lost, A problem you were taught to solve not by writing clearly But by shackling your sentences and paragraphs together. Think about transitions. Remember how it goes? Late in the paragraph you prepare for the transition to the next paragraph— The great leap over the void, across that yawning indentation. You were taught the art of the flying trapeze, But not how to write.

But" is always preferable to "however," Except in the rare cases where "however" is preferable to "but," Which

We forget something fundamental as we read: Every sentence could have been otherwise but isn't. We can't see all the decisions that led to the final shape of the sentence. But we can see the residue of those decisions.

Without extraneous words or phrases or clauses, there will be room for implication.

But long sentences often tend to collapse or break down or become opaque or trip over their awkwardness.

We must allow, therefore, that God speaks in a way that meshes with the surrounding context, and also that he can say what he wishes to say, distinct from the context.

using initial capitals for some words is a trait favoured by lunatics when writing letters to newspapers and celebrities. (As

Tycoon had a peddler's talent for using words to redefine reality.

Spider names look silly. But this ''Accord'' group is a young culture. Their names are still mostly meaningful in their daily language.

languages. Notice how they almost make sense, some of them.' 'Yes, and that's

The poet is a little god.

El poeta representa el drama angustioso que se realiza entre el mundo y el cerebro humano, entre el mundo y su representación. El que no haya sentido el drama que se juega entre la cosa y la palabra, no podrá comprenderme.

Are angels supposed to call humans Commies?

Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent

Everything bows to success, even grammar.

The word is the Verb, and the Verb is God.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossile to be silent.

Music expresses that which cannot remain silent and that which cannot be put into words.

Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.

They have over-cultivated national rhetoric [. . .] they will have to undertake something.

Woorden kunnen nietige stukjes arsenicum zijn: ze worden ongemerkt ingeslikt en lijken geen uitwerking te hebben, maar na enige tijd is de gifwerking er toch.

Whenever people are particularly muddled in their thinking they invent big words to cover their confusion.