Quotes About Language

It sounded just as he'd always imagined it would: like calligraphy, if calligraphy were written in honey.

Her names means hope. But not in their language, and not for them.

He thought that there was plenty out there, and allowed that maybe some of it was even eternal, but he wasn't sure any of it needed a name and so many little houses built on its behalf in the countryside out of wood and stone.

Increasingly she realized there is no such thing as word-for-word equivalents with another language. When she translated a line, never mind an entire work, she became aware that the original ceased to be, as she had led it to a place where it could not survive in its pure form.

Why can't bilingualism be seen as an extra resource? Is it because kids who can think in two languages are smarter? (from the book Attitude, 2002)

A laxity pervades the popular use of words.

A pun is a pistol let off at the ear; not a feather to tickle the intellect.

The world belongs to the articulate.

I carry a map case full of scenarios because like sand it can give me traction when words from another intention ask to come in and the dictionary yells out they are liars.

Avoid, which many grave men have not done, words taken from sacred subjects and from elevated poetry: these we have seen vilely prostituted. Avoid too the society of the barbarians who misemploy them.

Death stands above me, whispering low I know not what into my ear: Of his strange language all I know Is, there is not a word of fear.

Harmonious words render ordinary ideas acceptable; less ordinary, pleasant; novel and ingenious ones, delightful.

Remember when atmospheric contaminants were romantically called stardust?

LJS: rrr! K? lol! JIM: :( ! :)

Books -where if people suffered, they suffered in beautiful language, not in monosyllables, as we did in Kansas

I was unhappy for a long time, and very lonesome, living with my grandmother. Then it was that books began to happen to me, and I began to believe in nothing but books and the wonderful world in books — where if people suffered, they suffered in beautiful language, not in monosyllables, as we did in Kansas.

I'm afraid to answer that. I've heard that when I speak, it makes American women wish to strike me with umbrellas.

Oh, good. You're starting to talk about yourself in the third person. That's not a sign of impending megalomania or anything.

His eyes went soft and silver as she spoke. "Zhe shi jie shang, wo shi zui ai ne de," he whispered. She understood it. In all the world, you are what I love the most.

Only mundanes say they're sorry when what they mean is "I share your grief,"' Jace observed.

Softly, Magnus said, "Aku cinta kamu." "What does that mean?" Magnus disentangled himself from Alec's grip. "It means I love you. Not that that changes anything.

And the Clave wants to meet Clarissa. You know that, Jace." "The Clave can screw itself." "Jace," Maryse said, sounding genuinely parental for a change. "Language." "The Clave wants a lot of things," Jace amended. "It shouldn't necessarily get them all.

Ni hen piao liang. " "What does it mean?" "It means that you are beautiful.

Do you miss Wales?" Tessa inquired. Will shrugged lightly. "What's to miss? Sheep and singing," he said. "And the ridiculous language. Fe hoffwn i fod mor feddw, fyddai ddim yn cofio fy enw." "What does that mean?" "It means 'I wish to get so drunk I no longer remember my own name,' Quite useful.