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Quote by Robert Burchfield

“Lexicography is a chastening as well as an illuminating and fascinating art.”

Quote by Robert Burchfield

Author

Robert Burchfield

Robert Burchfield was a renowned lexicographer known for his contributions to the field of English lexicography. Born on January 27, 1923, and passing away on July 5, 2004, Burchfield's work had a profound impact on the standardization and documentation of the English language. more

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“I believe it is imperative to see modern English grammar as a rich and diverse linguistic system deposited on our [England's] shores 1,500 years ago, and left with us unweakened, though substantially changed by the social and political events of the intervening period.”

Years Believe Political Left I Believe Social Rich Modern Events Changed Periods Years Ago England Shore Diverse Grammar Imperatives Intervening Modern English English Grammar

Author:Robert Burchfield

“I am sure that the two main forms of English, American English and British English, separated geographically from the beginning and severed politically since 1776, are continuing to move apart, and that existing elements of linguistic dissimilarity between them will intensify as time goes on, notwithstanding the power of the cinema, TV, Time Magazine, and other two-way gluing and fuelling devices.”

Way Two Moving Form Language Tvs Goes On Elements British Magazines Cinema Devices Continuing Two Ways Time Goes On Time Magazine American English

Author:Robert Burchfield

“In 1776, at the point of severance, except for an infusion of words from east coast Indian languages, the English language of North America was not in any radical way dissimilar from that of what the American settlers called the mother country.”

Way Country America Mother Language East Radical Indian Coast English Language North America East Coast Settlers Infusion Mother Country

Author:Robert Burchfield

“The language of Doctor Johnson and Mrs Hester Lynch Thrale, and that of their adult contemporaries, was the stately language of the time, polished, stylish, unordinary, even in the intimate pages of their diaries, and the regime of instruction was severe and practical.”

Language Pages Adults Doctors Practicals Intimate Instruction Regimes Severe Diaries Johnson Polished Stylish

Author:Robert Burchfield

“At all periods of the [English] language it is difficult to assign a beginning date to most new words and meanings. They tend to slip into the language silently, and are placed in date order only when scholars subsequently get to work.”

Order Language Difficult Periods Slips Scholar English Language New Words

Author:Robert Burchfield

“Vulgarity finds its antidote; old crudities become softened with time. Distinctions, both those that are useful and those that are burdensome, flourish and die, reflourish and die again.”

Dies Distinction Antidote Vulgarity

Author:Robert Burchfield

“Most Christians do not have fellowship with God; they have fellowship with each other about God.”

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“A Christian is one who rejoices in the superiority of a rival.”

Christian Christianity Rejoice Superiority Rivals

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“A good Christian is a velvet-covered brick.”

Christian Christianity Covered Bricks Velvet Good Christian

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“Leadership is simply the ability of an individual to coalesce the efforts of other individuals toward achieving common goals. It boils down to looking after your people and ensuring that, from top to bottom, everyone feels part of the team.”

People Feels Individual Goal Ability Common Effort Team Achieve Bottom Common Goal

Author:Frederick W. Smith