To starve a child of the spell of the story, of the canter of the poem, oral or written, is a kind of living burial. It is to immure him in emptiness.
George SteinerRead
I have every reason to believe that an individual man or woman fluent in several tongues seduces, possesses, remembers differently according to his or her use of the relevant language.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Fluency in multiple languages influences how individuals perceive and express their thoughts and emotions.
This quote by George Steiner suggests that a person's mastery of different languages shapes their identity, experiences, and perceptions. Each language carries its own nuances, cultural significance, and emotional weight, which in turn affect how individuals engage with the world around them, seduce others, and retain memories. Thus, the way we use language can distinctively define our interactions and experiences in life.
Themes
LanguageIdentityPerceptionExperienceCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a language class to illustrate the importance of cultural context in communication.
More from George Steiner
All quotes βThe most important tribute any human being can pay to a poem or a piece of prose he or she really loves is to learn it by heart. Not by brain, by heart; the expression is vital.
George SteinerRead
Every language is a world. Without translation, we would inhabit parishes bordering on silence.
George SteinerRead
It took 10 months for me to learn to tie a lace; I must have howled with rage and frustration. But one day I could tie my laces. That no one can take from you. I profoundly distrust the pedagogy of ease.
George SteinerRead
The letter kills the spirit. The written text is mute in the face of responding challenge. It does not admit of inward growth and correction. Text subverts the absolutely vital role of memory.
George SteinerRead
Books are in no hurry. An act of creation is in no hurry; it reads us, it privileges us infinitely. The notion that it is the occasion for our cleverness fills me with baffled bitterness and anger.
George SteinerRead
Similar quotes
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Edward SapirRead
Part of what makes a language 'alive' is its constant evolution. I would hate to think Britain would ever emulate France, where they actually have a learned faculty whose job it is to attempt to prevent the incursion of foreign words into the language. I love editing Harry with Arthur Levine, my American editor-the differences between 'British English' (of which there must be at least 200 versions) and 'American English' (ditto!) are a source of constant interest and amusement to me.
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French is the language that turns dirt into romance.
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There's inherent cultural imbalance whenever you're translating from Chinese to English. Educated Chinese readers are expected not only to know about all the Chinese references - history, language, culture, all this stuff - but to be well-versed in Western references as well.
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After studying the Hungarian language for years, I can confidently conclude that had Hungarian been my mother tongue, it would have been more precious. Simply because through this extraordinary, ancient and powerful language it is possible to precisely describe the tiniest differences and the most secretive tremors of emotions.
George Bernard ShawRead
Slang is a language that rolls up its sleeves, spits on its hands and goes to work.
Carl SandburgRead