Quotes About Language

Language disguises thought.

For an answer which cannot be expressed the question too cannot be expressed. The riddle does not exist. If a question can be put at all, then it can also be answered.

A picture held us captive. And we could not get outside it, for it lay in our language and language seemed to repeat it to us inexorably.

Language disguises the thought; so that from the external form of the clothes one cannot infer the form of the thought they clothe, because the external form of the clothes is constructed with quite another object than to let the form of the body be recognized.

If you tried to doubt everything you would not get as far as doubting anything. The game of doubting itself presupposes certainty.

Sometimes, in doing philosophy, one just wants to utter an inarticulate sound.

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen.

Everything that can be thought at all can be thought clearly. Everything that can be said can be said clearly.

If a lion could speak, we could not understand him.

Perhaps what is inexpressible (what I find mysterious and am not able to express) is the background against which whatever I could express has its meaning.

If there were a verb meaning to believe falsely, it would not have any significant first person, present indicative.

Suppose someone were to say: 'Imagine this butterfly exactly as it is, but ugly instead of beautiful'?!

In art it is hard to say anything as good as saying nothing.

We are struggling with language. We are engaged in a struggle with language.

So in the end, when one is doing philosophy, one gets to the point where one would like just to emit an inarticulate sound.

Language is a part of our organism and no less complicated than it.

Uttering a word is like striking a note on the keyboard of the imagination.

A tautology's truth is certain, a proposition's possible, a contradiction's impossible.

Language is a labyrinth of paths. You approach from one side and know your way about; you approach the same place from another side and no longer know your way about.

Most of the propositions and questions to be found in philosophical works are not false but nonsensical.

Die Welt ist alles, was der Fall ist.

Music conveys to us itself!

the meaning of a word is its use in the language.

There can never be surprises in logic.