Jonathan Swift Quotes About Language

Quotes about: Language

• Argument is the worst sort of conversation.

  Jonathan Swift

  Wisdom, Communication, Opinion

  Jonathan Swift (1998). “The Sayings of Jonathan Swift”, p.21, Gerald Duckworth & Co

• Nor do they trust their tongue alone, but speak a language of their own; can read a nod, a shrug, a look, far better than a printed book; convey a libel in a frown, and wink a reputation down.

  Jonathan Swift

  Book, Looks, Scandal

  'The Journal of a Modern Lady' (1729) l. 188

• Big-endians and small-endians.

  Jonathan Swift

  Book, Language, Bigs

  Jonathan Swift, Sir Walter Scott (1814). “The Works of Jonathan Swift: Gulliver's travels. Directions to servants”, p.65

• A jargon form'd from the lost language, wit, Confounded in that Babel of the pit; Form'd by diseased conceptions, weak and wild, Sick lust of souls, and an abortive child; Born between whores and fops, by lewd compacts, Before the play, or else between the acts; Nor wonder, if from such polluted minds Should spring such short and transitory kinds.

  Jonathan Swift

  Children, Spring, Play

  Jonathan Swift (1801). “The Works of of the Rev. Jonathan Swift”, p.411

• The affectation of some late authors to introduce and multiply cant words is the most ruinous corruption in any language.

  Jonathan Swift

  Language, Corruption, Introducing

  Jonathan Swift, John Hawkesworth (1754). “The Works of Jonathan Swift: Accurately Revised in Twelve Volumes, Adorned with Copper-plates. With Some Account of the Author's Life and Notes, Historical and Explanatory”, p.325

• An English tongue, if refined to a certain standard, might perhaps be fixed forever.

  Jonathan Swift

  Forever, Might, Tongue

• Pride, ill nature, and want of sense are the three great sources of ill manners; without some one of these defects, no man will behave himself ill for want of experience, or what, in the language of fools, is called knowing the world.

  Jonathan Swift

  Pride, Men, Knowing

  Jonathan Swift (1861). “The Works of Jonathan Swift ...: With Cop'ous Notes and Additions”, p.621

• The common fluency of speech in many men, and most women, is owing to a scarcity of matter and a scarcity of words; for whosoever is a master of language, and hath a mind full of ideas, will be apt, in speaking, to hesitate upon the choice of both.

  Jonathan Swift

  Men, Talking, Ideas

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