#ted

A common creation demands a common sacrifice, and perhaps not the least potent argument in favour of a constructed international language is the fact that it is equally foreign, or apparently so, to the traditions of all nationalities. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#argument #common #constructed #creation #demands

Our goal is not to crush the enemy at any price, but to make it realize that it is illegal to take up arms to overthrow a democratically elected government. ↗

— Jose Eduardo Dos Santos

#arms #crush #democratically #elected #enemy

English, once accepted as an international language, is no more secure than French has proved to be as the one and only accepted language of diplomacy or as Latin has proved to be as the international language of science. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#diplomacy #english #french #international #international language

More and more, unsolicited gifts from without are likely to be received with unconscious resentment. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#likely #more #more and more #received #resentment

National languages are all huge systems of vested interests which sullenly resist critical inquiry. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#huge #inquiry #interests #languages #national

So far as the advocates of a constructed international language are concerned, it is rather to be wondered at how much in common their proposals actually have, both in vocabulary and in general spirit of procedure. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#both #common #concerned #constructed #far

The attitude of independence toward a constructed language which all national speakers must adopt is really a great advantage, because it tends to make man see himself as the master of language instead of its obedient servant. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#advantage #attitude #because #constructed #great

The supposed inferiority of a constructed language to a national one on the score of richness of connotation is, of course, no criticism of the idea of a constructed language. ↗

— Edward Sapir

#constructed #course #criticism #idea #inferiority

I wasted a lot of years working on my writing and very grandly saying, 'And now... My Novel!,' which would soon be reduced to a short story, then to a paragraph. ↗

— George Saunders

#i #lot #novel #now #paragraph

When I'm explaining something to you, if I'm being long-winded, and twisty in a non-productive way, I could make you feel vaguely insulted. And you'd have a right to be. ↗

— George Saunders

#could #explaining #feel #i #insulted