Home / Quotes / Quote by Jean Aitchison

Quote by Jean Aitchison

“Word meanings are like stretchy pullovers, whose outline contour is visible, but whose detailed shape varies with use.”

Quote by Jean Aitchison

Book:The Language Web: The Power and Problem of Words - The 1996 BBC Reith Lectures

Work

The Language Web: The Power and Problem of Words - The 1996 BBC Reith Lectures

The Language Web: The Power and Problem of Words presents a series of lectures that delve into the profound impact and complexities of language. The lectures, originally broadcasted by the BBC, examine the role of language in society, its evolution, and the various ways it shapes human thought and communication. more

Author

Jean Aitchison, born in 1938, is an unknown scholar. Details about his identity, life experience, achievements, contributions, and evaluations are limited. more

You May Also Like

“Purists behave as if there was a vintage year when language achieved a measure of excellence which we should all strive to maintain. In fact, there was never such a year. The language of Chaucer's or Shakespeare's time was no better and no worse than that of our own - just different.”

Ifs Should Writing Years Different Facts Language Excellence Strive Behave Vintage Chaucer

Book:Language Change: Progress Or Decay?

Source: Language Change: Progress Or Decay?

“The act of writing is an act of optimism. You would not take the trouble to do it if you felt that it didn't matter.”

Ifs Writing Matter Felt Trouble Optimism

Author:Edward Albee

“Sharing our stories can also be a means of healing. Grief and loss may isolate us, and anger may alienate us. Shared with others, these emotions can be powerfully uniting, as we see that we are not alone, and realize that others weep with us.”

Writing May Mean Stories Realizing Loss Grief Emotion Healing Grief And Loss Not Alone Uniting Grief Healing

Author:Susan Wittig Albert

“If you're going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You have to turn the faucet on before the water starts to flow.”

Ifs Writing Firsts Ideas Turns Waiting Water Essentials Flow

Author:Louis L'Amour

“I think the first duty of all art, including fiction of any kind, is to entertain. That is to say, to hold interest. No matter how worthy the message of something, if it's dull, you're just not communicating.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Firsts Kind Art Matter Interest Fiction Duty Messages Including Communicate Worthy Dull

Author:Poul Anderson

“If I wanted to write, I had to be willing to develop a kind of concentration found mostly in people awaiting execution. I had to learn technique and surrender my ignorance.”

People Ifs Writing Kind Wanted Found Ignorance Willing Technique Surrender Concentration Execution

Book:The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

Source: The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

“One of the problems we have as writers is we don't take ourselves seriously while writing; being serious is setting aside a time and saying if it comes, good; if it doesn't come, good, I'll just sit here.”

Ifs Writing Problem Serious Setting Settings

Author:Maya Angelou

“Writers learn their craft, above all, from the work of other writers. From reading.”

Writing Reading Crafts

Author:Marie Arana

“A good style must, first of all, be clear. It must not be mean or above the dignity of the subject. It must be appropriate.”

Writing Firsts Mean Clear Subjects Style Dignity Appropriate

Author:Aristotle

“When I feel difficulty coming on, I switch to another book I'm writing. When I get back to the problem, my unconscious has solved it.”

Feels Writing Book Problem Difficulty Unconscious Get Back

Author:Isaac Asimov