Arbiter Quote by Charlton Laird
“The great arbiters of language are the women who speak it in the presence of children... What the women pass on to the next generation is "right" and what they do not bother to pass on to their children sooner or later becomes "wrong.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Language and Children, Charlton Laird, 1975
Women shape language norms for children, passing what is considered correct and leaving other aspects unaddressed, which later becomes seen as wrong.
In simple terms: Women teach language rules to kids, influencing what’s seen as right or wrong.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hidden language biases.
Themes
education
gender
language
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
sociolinguistic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- parenting
- school curricula
- media representation
Key Concepts
socialization
norm transmission
Questions to Reflect On
- What language norms are left unspoken?
- How can we broaden language teaching?
A Different Perspective
May overlook other influences on language development.
![“The truth seems to be that they [teachers of grammar] were victims of a mighty hoax, one of those true belly-rumbling impostures which a workaday world can but seldom afford.” quote by Charlton Laird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7e6/charlton-laird-34745_belly_the-truth-seems-to-be-that-they-teachers_1806946.jpg)
