Try any goddam thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.
Stephen KingRead
French is the language that turns dirt into romance.
Interpretation
What this quote means
French is often seen as a romantic language, capable of transforming ordinary expressions into something beautiful and romantic.
In this quote, Stephen King highlights the allure and beauty of the French language, suggesting that it possesses a unique ability to elevate mundane or common experiences into something filled with charm and passion. The notion of 'turning dirt into romance' implies that even the simplest words or ideas, when expressed in French, can take on a romantic quality, resonating deeply with emotions and creating connections between people.
Themes
FrenchLanguageRomanceBeautyCharm
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the power of language in creating connections.
More from Stephen King
All quotes →Eddie discovered one of his childhood's great truths. Grownups are the real monsters, he thought.
Stephen KingRead
Hairstyles change, and skirt lengths, and slang, but high school administrations? Never.
Stephen KingRead
Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.
Stephen KingRead
That's the day's business. Thinking. Thinking and isolation, because it doesn't matter if you pass the time of day with someone or not; in the end, you're alone. He seemed to have put in as many miles in his brain as he had with his feet. The thoughts kept coming and there was no way to deny them.
Stephen KingRead
Late last night and the night before, tommyknockers, tommyknockers knocking on my door. I wanna go out, don't know if I can 'cuz I'm so afraid of the tommyknocker man.
Stephen KingRead
Similar quotes
No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality.
Edward SapirRead
My language! heavens!I am the best of them that speak this speech. Were I but where 'tis spoken.
William ShakespeareRead
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.
Ken LiuRead
People are under the impression that dictionaries legislate language. What a dictionary does is keep track of usages over time.
Steven PinkerRead
Words have a genealogy and it's easier to trace the evolution of a single word than the evolution of a language.
Daniel DennettRead
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