Thomas Jefferson Quotes About Language

• That these are our grievances which we have thus laid before his majesty, with that freedom of language and sentiment which becomes a free people claiming their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Rights, Law, People

  Thomas Jefferson, Jean M. Yarbrough (1963). “The Essential Jefferson”, p.16, Hackett Publishing

• To every obstacle oppose patience, perseverance and soothing language.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Perseverance, Adversity, Obstacles

  Thomas Jefferson (2004). “Light and Liberty: Reflections on the Pursuit of Happiness”, p.110, Modern Library

• what are the objects of an useful American education? classical knowlege, modern languages & chiefly French, Spanish, & Italian; Mathematics; Natural philosophy; Natural History; Civil History; Ethics.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Philosophy, Educational, Italian

• No instance exists of a person's writing two language perfectly. That will always appear to be his native language which was most familiar to him in his youth.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Writing, Native Language, Two

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs Corespondence and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson Late, President of the United States: Now First Published the Original Manuscripts”, p.347

• I do not pretend that language is science. It isan instrument for the attainment of science.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Science, Language, Instruments

• While learning the language in France a young man's morals, health and fortune are more irresistibly endangered than in any country of the universe.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Men, France

  Thomas Jefferson, Lyman Henry Butterfield, Charles T. Cullen (1958). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: March 1789 to 30 November 1789”

• Let it be signified to me through any channelthat the possession of the Floridas would be desirable to the United States, andin sixty days it will be accomplished.
  ...penned in the language of truth, and divested of those expressions of servility which would persuade his majesty that we are asking favors and not rights.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Florida, Rights, Expression

• You have heard of the new chemical nomenclature endeavored to be introduced by Lavoisier, Fourcroy, &c. Other chemists of this country, of equal note, reject it, and prove in my opinion that it is premature, insufficient and false. These latter are joined by the British chemists; and upon the whole, I think the new nomenclature will be rejected, after doing more harm than good. There are some good publications in it, which must be translated into the ordinary chemical language before they will be useful.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Science, Thinking

• We generally learn languages for the benefit of reading the books written in them

  Thomas Jefferson

  Book, Reading, Benefits

  Thomas Jefferson (1861). “Correspondence. Reports and opinions while secretarry of state”, p.399

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