Quotes about Language

And buxom, which means only obedient, is now made, in familiar phrases, to stand for wanton; because in an ancient form of marriage, before the Reformation, the bride promised complaisance and obedience, in these terms: I will be bonair and buxom in bed and at board.

Amidst your Ardor for Greek and Latin I hope you will not forget your mother Tongue. Read Somewhat in the English Poets every day. . . . You will never be alone, with a Poet in your Poket. You will never have an idle Hour.

We unlearn the art of speaking well when we cease to speak with God.

Man's disposition voluntarily so inclines to falsehood that he more quickly derives error from one word than truth from a wordy discourse.

God, in so speaking, lisps with us as nurses are wont to do with little children.

The language of the Apostle well agrees with this view;   for he says that he was declared by power, because power, peculiar to   God, shone forth in him, and uncontestably proved him to be God; and   this was indeed made evident by his resurrection.

because he also is flesh.' In which language God complains, that the   order appointed by him has been so greatly disturbed, that his own   image has been transformed into flesh.   

Truthful words are not beautiful beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive persuasive words are not good.

'Good English' is whatever educated people talk so that what is good in one place or time would not be so in another.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

He was seemingly born not only with a gift for language, but with a particularly nasty clock which makes him go crazy every three years or so.

whenever the literary german dives into a sentence, this is the last you are going to see of him till he emerges on the other side of his atlantic with his verb in his mouth.