I stand and listen to people speaking french in the stores and in the street. It's such a pert, crisp read more

I stand and listen to people speaking french in the stores and in the street. It's such a pert, crisp language, elegant as ruffling taffeta.

Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows
Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

Who climbs the grammar-tree, distinctly knows
Where noun, and verb, and participle grows.

Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter!

Thou whoreson zed, thou unnecessary letter!

Grammar, which knows how to lord it over kings, and with high
hands makes them obey its laws.
read more

Grammar, which knows how to lord it over kings, and with high
hands makes them obey its laws.
[Fr., La grammaire, qui sait regenter jusqu'aux rois,
Et les fait, la main haute, obeir a ses lois.]

Language is memory and metaphor.

Language is memory and metaphor.

And who in time knows whither we may vent the treasure of our tongue, to what strange shores this gain read more

And who in time knows whither we may vent the treasure of our tongue, to what strange shores this gain of our best glories shall be sent, 't unknowing Nations with our stores? What worlds in the yet unformed Occident may come refined with the accents that are ours?

To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to
my horse--German.

To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to
my horse--German.

The most precious things in speech are pauses.

The most precious things in speech are pauses.

Accent is the soul of a language; it gives the feeling and truth
to it.
[Fr., L'accent est read more

Accent is the soul of a language; it gives the feeling and truth
to it.
[Fr., L'accent est l'ame du discours, il lui donne le sentiment
et la verite.]