C. S. Lewis Quotes About Language

• Language exists to communicate whatever it can communicate. Some things it communicates so badly that we never attempt to communicate them by words if any other medium is available.

  C. S. Lewis

  Language, Communicate, Mediums

  C. S. Lewis (1990). “Studies in Words”, p.313, Cambridge University Press

• Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

  C. S. Lewis

  Communication, Writing, Mean

• The Christian "doctrines" are translations into our concepts and ideas of that which God has already expressed in language more adequate, namely the actual incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection

  C. S. Lewis

  Christian, Ideas, Doctrine

• The purpose of all opprobrious language is, not to describe, but to hurt - even when, like Hamlet, we make only the shadow-passes of a soliloquised combat. We call the enemy not what we think he is but what we think he would least like to be called.

  C. S. Lewis

  Hurt, Thinking, Enemy

  C. S. Lewis (2013). “Studies in Words”, p.122, Cambridge University Press

• When an artist is in the strict sense working, he of course takes into account the existing tastes, interests and capacity of his audience. These no less than the language , the marble, the paint, are part of his aw material.; to be used, tamed, sublimated, not ignored or defied. Haughty indifference to them is not genius, it is laziness and incompetence.

  C. S. Lewis

  Artist, Culture, Genius

• My friendship you shall have, leanred Man," piped Reepicheep. "And any Dwarf--or Giant---in the army who does not give you good language shall have my sword to reckon with.

  C. S. Lewis

  Army, Men, Dwarves

  C.S.Lewis (2016). “The Chronicles of Narnia Vol II: Prince Caspian”, p.63, ENRICH CULTURE GROUP LIMITED

• I haven't any language weak enough to depict the weakness of my spiritual life. If I weakened it enough it would cease to be language at all. As when you try to turn the gas-ring a little lower still, and it merely goes out.

  C. S. Lewis

  Spiritual, Trying, Weakness

• Of course language is not an infallible guide, but it contains, with all its defects, a good deal of stored insight and experience.

  C. S. Lewis

  Language, Guides, Insight

  C. S. Lewis (1971). “The Four Loves”, p.14, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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