Quotes About Language

But perhaps nothing speaks more clearly for the absurdities of English pronunciation than that the word for the study of pronunciation in English, orthoepy, can itself be pronounced two ways.

Romanians often claim to have the language that most closely resembles ancient Latin. But in fact, according to Mario Pei, if you wish to hear what ancient Latin sounded like, you should listen to Lugudorese, an Italic dialect spoken in central Sardinia, which in many respects is unchanged from the Latin of 1,500 years ago.

That depends on what your definition of 'is' is.

She said swearing shows a lack of creativity. I'm not so sure. When things get really tough, I can get pretty creative with my cussing.

It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is.

Zip zop wop boopity bop.

The physical language of the body is so much more powerful than words.

New Rule: Coal companies have to stop calling coal energy. That's like a lumber company calling wood fire. Or Budweiser calling beer urine. Okay, that one kind of makes sense.

You feelin' me? Word. This is one phat book I'm writing, yo. Recognize.

Kafir is not a neutral word. Instead, it defines a subhuman, so it is bigoted and biased.

The word "unbeliever" is logically and emotionally neutral, whereas, Kafir is the most abusive, prejudiced and hateful word in any language.

Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words.

The purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure poor reasoning and inhibit clarity.

Yakka foob mog. Grug pubbawup zink wattoom gazork. Chumble spuzz. I love loopholes.

Verbing weirds language.

People always make the mistake of thinking art is created for them. But really, art is a private language for sophisticates to congratulate themselves on their superiority to the rest of the world. As my artist's statement explains, my work is utterly incomprehensible and is therefore full of deep significance.

I'm a man of few words. If you read more, you might have a larger vocabulary.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding.

I'm only civil because I don't know any swear words.

I can hear the library humming in the night, a choir of authors murmuring inside their books along the unlit, alphabetical shelves, Giovanni Pontano next to Pope, Dumas next to his son, each one stitched into his own private coat, together forming a low, gigantic chord of language.

You trip over a word while carrying a tray of vocabulary out to the pool only to discover that broken glass is a good topic.

Is there a better method of departure by night than this quiet bon voyage with an open book, the sole companion who has come to see you off, to wave you into the dark waters beyond language?

If you look a word up in the dictionary and twenty minutes later you're still wandering around in the dictionary, you probably have the most basic equipment you need to be a poet.

music it says all the things that words alone can never say