Language is a city to the building of which every human being
brought a stone.
- read more

Language is a city to the building of which every human being
brought a stone.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson,

The individual's whole experience is built upon the plan of his language.

The individual's whole experience is built upon the plan of his language.

A laudation in Greek is of marvellous efficacy on the title-page
of a book.
[Fr., Une louange en read more

A laudation in Greek is of marvellous efficacy on the title-page
of a book.
[Fr., Une louange en grec est d'une merveilleuse efficace a la
tete d'un livre.]

Words are the leaves of the tree of language, of which, if some fall away, a new succession takes their read more

Words are the leaves of the tree of language, of which, if some fall away, a new succession takes their place.

The language of truth is simple.

The language of truth is simple.

All true language is incomprehensible, like the chatter of a beggar's teeth.

All true language is incomprehensible, like the chatter of a beggar's teeth.

Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have a different effect.

Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have a different effect.

If language had been the creation not of poetry but of logic, we should only have one.

If language had been the creation not of poetry but of logic, we should only have one.

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?