I can remember the lush spring excitement of language in childhood. Sitting in church, rolling it around my mouth like read more

I can remember the lush spring excitement of language in childhood. Sitting in church, rolling it around my mouth like marbles--tabernacle and pharisee and parable, tresspass and Babylon and covenant.

The English language is rather like a monster accordion, stretchable at the whim of the editor, compressible ad lib.

The English language is rather like a monster accordion, stretchable at the whim of the editor, compressible ad lib.

Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation.

Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation.

Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.

Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them

Language tethers us to the world; without it we spin like atoms.

Language tethers us to the world; without it we spin like atoms.

Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.

Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.

If the Romans had been obliged to learn Latin, they would never have found the time to conquer the world.

If the Romans had been obliged to learn Latin, they would never have found the time to conquer the world.

The most precious things in speech are pauses.

The most precious things in speech are pauses.