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Quote by Edward Sapir

“A logical analysis of reflexive usages in French shows, however, that this simplicity is an illusion and that, so far from helping the foreigner, it is more calculated to bother him.”

Quote by Edward Sapir

Book:General Linguistics

Work

General Linguistics

This comprehensive book delves into the core concepts of linguistics, exploring the structure, history, and evolution of human language. It examines various linguistic theories and methodologies, providing readers with a foundational understanding of the field. more

Author

Edward Sapir was a prominent American anthropologist known for his profound research on language and culture. Born on January 26, 1884, and passing away on February 4, 1939, Sapir's work had a profound impact on the development of modern anthropology, particularly in the fields of linguistic anthropology and semiotics. more

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“As a matter of fact, a national language which spreads beyond its own confines very quickly loses much of its original richness of content and is in no better case than a constructed language.”

Matter Facts Language Loses Cases Originals Spread Richness Matter Of Fact National Language

Book:General Linguistics

Source: General Linguistics

“Comparison of statements made at different periods frequently enable us to give maximal and minimal dates to the appearance of a cultural element or to assign the time limits to a movement of population.”

Giving Made Different Movement Periods Limits Elements Population Appearance Statements Comparison Time Limit

Book:Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

Source: Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

“Both French and Latin are involved with nationalistic and religious implications which could not be entirely shaken off, and so, while they seemed for a long time to have solved the international language problem up to a certain point, they did not really do so in spirit.”

Long Problem Spirit Certain Language Religious Involved Long Time International Latin Implications Nationalistic International Language

Book:General Linguistics

Source: General Linguistics

“Cultural anthropology is more and more rapidly getting to realize itself as a strictly historical science.”

Realizing Historical Anthropology

Book:Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

Source: Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

“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.”

Language International Accepted Secure Latin Diplomacy International Language

Book:Culture, Language and Personality

Source: Culture, Language and Personality

“Language is an anonymous, collective and unconscious art; the result of the creativity of thousands of generations.”

Life Inspirational Art Language Results Creativity Generations Unconscious Collectives

Author:Edward Sapir

“The fact of the matter is that the 'real world' is to a large extent unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group.”

World Real Matter Facts Language Groups Habit Built Real World

Book:General Linguistics

Source: General Linguistics

“It is quite an illusion to imagine that one adjusts to reality essentially without the use of language and that language is merely an incidental means of solving specific problems of communication or reflection.”

Mean Use Problem Reality Language Imagine Communication Illusion Reflection Imagine That Use Of Language

Book:Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

Source: Selected Writings of Edward Sapir in Language, Culture and Personality

“The tremendous and still accelerating development of science and technology has not been accompanied by an equal development in social, economic and political patterns …it is safe to predict that… such social inventions as modern-type capitalism, facism and communism will be regarded as primitive experiments directed towards the adjustment of modern society to modern methods”

“The technology is the independent variable, the social system the dependent variable. Social, systems are therefore determined by systems of technology; as the latter change, so do the former.”

Social Technology Independent Determined Former Dependent Latter Variables Social Systems

Author:Leslie White