"Language is fossil poetry. As the limestone of the continent consists of infinite masses of the shells of animalcules, so language is made up of images, or tropes, which now, in their secondary use, have long ceased to remind us of their poetic origin."

Language, Poetry, History, Expression

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"Language is fossil poetry. As the limestone of the continent consists of infinite masses of the shells of animalcules, so language is made up of images, or tropes, which now, in their secondary use, have long ceased to remind us of their poetic origin."

Exlpore more Language quotes

"Words are the fallen ruins of silent majesty."

Bryant McGill, American Poet

Language, Truth, Wisdom, Inspirational, Power

"If Bengali is my mother, then English is my father and friend."

Abhijit Naskar, Indian Author

Language, Truth, Power, Life

"Life is but words."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Language, Words, Life, Speak, Expression

"He had been thinking of how landscape moulds a language. It was impossible to imagine these hills giving forth anything but the soft syllables of Irish, just as only certain forms of German could be spoken on the high crags of Europe; or Dutch in the muddy, guttural, phlegmish lowlands."

Alexander McCall Smith, British Author

Language, Culture, Observation, Identity

"And why does he talk so funny? Doesn't he mean squashed tomatoes?I don't think that they had tomatoes when he comes from, said Bod. And that's just how they talk then."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

Language, Culture, Understanding, Humor

"In my dream, it was the tongue of what is, and anything spoken in it becomes real, because nothing said in that language can be a lie. It is the most basic building brick of everything."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

Language, Truth, Reality, Dream

"What's the point of using words nobody knows or can say comfortably?"

Stephen Chbosky, American Author

Language, Clarity, Communication, Simplicity

"Most of the people who have verbally asserted that 'there is no master of pronounciation' have intentionally made a claim and unintentionally made their claim believable. (It is 'pro-nun-ciation' not 'pro-noun-ciation'.)"

Mokokoma Mokhonoana, South African Philosopher

Language, Mistake, Knowledge, Communication

"It is very useful, when one is young, to learn the difference between "literally" and "figuratively." If something happens literally, it actually happens; if something happens figuratively, it feels like it is happening. If you are literally jumping for joy, for instance, it means you are leaping in the air because you are very happy. If you are figuratively jumping for joy, it means you are so happy that you could jump for joy, but are saving your energy for other matters."

Lemony Snicket, American Author

Language, Meaning, Understanding, Communication

"The wonder of words."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Language, Wonder, Words, Truth, Expression

Explore more quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson

"People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character."

Attitude

"The years teach much which the days never know."

Time

"I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching."

Spiritual

"We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body."

Happiness

"The faith that stands on authority is not faith."

Faith

"Men's actions are too strong for them. Show me a man who has acted, and who has not been the victim and slave of his action."

Wisdom

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