--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Literature belongs first and foremost to…" description: "\"Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in which it is being written. The very same book, even if it is translated very accurately, let's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png" --- # Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in… ![“Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in which it is being written. The very same book, even if it is translated very accurately, let's say from Hebrew into English or from English into Hebrew, becomes a different book because language is a musical instrument.” quote by Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png) > “Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in which it is being written. The very same book, even if it is translated very accurately, let's say from Hebrew into English or from English into Hebrew, becomes a different book because language is a musical instrument.” [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language shapes meaning; translation alters the musicality and nuance of a text. **In simple terms:** Words change when translated. Key Takeaway Consider original language. Themes language translation culture Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading translated works - writing in multilingual contexts - literary analysis Key Concepts linguistics semiotics artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does language affect your perception? - Can meaning survive translation? A Different Perspective Translations can never fully capture original tone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-language-1325227/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Hebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrew/) [Hebrew Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrew-different-5817500/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-written-1856009/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Belongs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-belongs-3485699/) [Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical/) [Translation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translation/) ## Related quotes > [The very same book, even if it is translated very accurately, let's say from Hebrew into English or from English into Hebrew, becomes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-very-same-book-even-if-it-is-translated-very-accurately-let-s-say/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in which it is being written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to-the-language-in-which-it-is/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [When a translator translates my book, it is no longer just my book. It is the translator's book, too. So the book in another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lipsyte/when-a-translator-translates-my-book-it-is-no-longer-just-my-book-it/) [Sam Lipsyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lipsyte/) > [The simple point is that literature belongs to the world man constructs, not to the world he sees; to his home, not his environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-simple-point-is-that-literature-belongs-to-the-world-man/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [Civilization could not exist until there was written language, because without written language no generation could bequeath to succeeding generations anything but its simpler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-laird/civilization-could-not-exist-until-there-was-written-language-because/) [Charlton Laird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-laird/) > [No literature is complete until the language it was written in is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/no-literature-is-complete-until-the-language-it-was-written-in-is-dead/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Language and written language are the only real way we have to see inside another person's thoughts and to know what makes another person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-windley/language-and-written-language-are-the-only-real-way-we-have-to-see/) [Carol Windley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-windley/) > [To understand the Universe, you must understand the language in which it's written, the language of Mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/to-understand-the-universe-you-must-understand-the-language-in-which/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“The only word in the Martian language is written phonetically: Kay-ray-kh-kuh-ko-kex. It means whatever you want it to mean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/the-only-word-in-the-martian-language-is-written-phonetically-kay-ray/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [As sheer casual reading matter, I still find the English dictionary the most interesting book in our language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/as-sheer-casual-reading-matter-i-still-find-the-english-dictionary/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [An American customer can book in English all over the world, but also, somebody from Japan or China can book in their own language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tans/an-american-customer-can-book-in-english-all-over-the-world-but-also/) [Gillian Tans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-tans/) > [If my novel gets any attention in Bulgaria, it will be as a scandal: a book about a teacher at a famous school and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/if-my-novel-gets-any-attention-in-bulgaria-it-will-be-as-a-scandal-a/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [A good book, in the language of the book-sellers, is a salable one; in that of the curious, a scarce one; in that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/a-good-book-in-the-language-of-the-book-sellers-is-a-salable-one-in/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The English Bible - a book which, if everything else in our language should perish, would alone suffice to show the whole extent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-english-bible-a-book-which-if-everything-else-in-our-language/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was under twenty when I deliberately put it to myself one night after good conversation that there are moments when we actually touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/i-was-under-twenty-when-i-deliberately-put-it-to-myself-one-night/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## More by Amos Oz > [I find the family the most mysterious and fascinating institution in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-find-the-family-the-most-mysterious-and-fascinating-institution-in/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [“All the profits that Papa made by the sweat of his brow from his mill she extorted from him and spent the lot on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/all-the-profits-that-papa-made-by-the-sweat-of-his-brow-from-his-mill/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Nobody ever predicted, a week before President Sadat came to Jerusalem in 1977, that his arrival would be the beginning of a peace process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/nobody-ever-predicted-a-week-before-president-sadat-came-to-jerusalem/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Every country in the world should follow the example of President Trump and move the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. But simultaneously, there should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/every-country-in-the-world-should-follow-the-example-of-president/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Actually, who hasn't been through the ghastly experience of sitting in front of a blank page, with its toothless mouth grinning at you: Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/actually-who-hasn-t-been-through-the-ghastly-experience-of-sitting-in/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [I think loathing begets fanaticism, and in the end, loathing begets hatred and violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-think-loathing-begets-fanaticism-and-in-the-end-loathing-begets/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Literature is about telling stories. Now, the gift of literature is that, in some lucky cases, reading a novel or a story makes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-is-about-telling-stories-now-the-gift-of-literature-is/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Very often, fanaticism begins at home. It begins inside the family. It begins with the urge to change our kin, to change our beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/very-often-fanaticism-begins-at-home-it-begins-inside-the-family-it/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [When I need to take a side, I write a newspaper article and I tell my government, "You should not do that, you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/when-i-need-to-take-a-side-i-write-a-newspaper-article-and-i-tell-my/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [We have to carry through to the next day and hope that we will be okay tomorrow as we are today and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/we-have-to-carry-through-to-the-next-day-and-hope-that-we-will-be/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Trump is many things. He is pampered. He is an immature man. He is a teenager craving unconditional, endless love from everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/trump-is-many-things-he-is-pampered-he-is-an-immature-man-he-is-a/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-at-all-to-keep-a-dream-perfect/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [“Judaism and Christianity, and Islam too, all drip honeyed words of love and mercy so long as they do not have access to handcuffs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/judaism-and-christianity-and-islam-too-all-drip-honeyed-words-of-love/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [Never cut loose from your longings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/never-cut-loose-from-your-longings/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [If people are pro-Israel, they are pro-Israel one-hundred-and-twenty percent. If they are anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian, they tend to be pro-Palestinian one-hundred-and-twenty percent. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/if-people-are-pro-israel-they-are-pro-israel-one-hundred-and-twenty/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) [Explore all 223 Amos Oz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in which it is being written. The very same book, even if it is translated very accurately, let's say from Hebrew into English or from English into Hebrew, becomes a different book because language is a musical instrument.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amos Oz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to-the-language-in-which-it-is-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to-the-language-in-which-it-is-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/amos-oz-1478_book_literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to_784120.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Literature belongs first and foremost to the language in which it is being written. The very same book, even…” — Amos Oz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amos Oz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Literature belongs first and foremost to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to-the-language-in-which-it-is-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-belongs-first-and-foremost-to-the-language-in-which-it-is-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```