--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if language is a living evolving…" description: "\"Even if language is a living evolving organism, we don't have to embrace all the changes that occur during our lifetimes. If language is so alive, it c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg" --- # Even if language is a living evolving organism, we don't… ![“Even if language is a living evolving organism, we don't have to embrace all the changes that occur during our lifetimes. If language is so alive, it can get sick.” quote by Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg) > “Even if language is a living evolving organism, we don't have to embrace all the changes that occur during our lifetimes. If language is so alive, it can get sick.” [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language evolves like a living organism, but not all changes are beneficial; some can degrade communication. **In simple terms:** Language changes, but not all are good. Key Takeaway Critically assess new language trends. Themes language evolution communication Mood analytical critical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - writing - teaching - media - social media Key Concepts linguistics cultural change Questions to Reflect On - Which language changes improve clarity? - When should we preserve older forms? A Different Perspective Resistance to change can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Evolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve/) [Evolving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolving/) [Evolving Organism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolving-organism-2459926/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-alive-2459925/) [Language Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-living-1261901/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Living Evolving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-evolving-717589/) [Organisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisms/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) ## Related quotes > [I take a real interest in the possibilities of teaching - including the practice of bringing creative writing, and serious reading, into the classroom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/i-take-a-real-interest-in-the-possibilities-of-teaching-including-the/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [Liberals see the Constitution itself as 'living' and 'evolving' that is, gradually turning into something that would have been unrecognizable to its authors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/liberals-see-the-constitution-itself-as-living-and-evolving-that-is/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Part of what makes a language 'alive' is its constant evolution. I would hate to think Britain would ever emulate France, where they actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/part-of-what-makes-a-language-alive-is-its-constant-evolution-i-would/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I think on a day-to-day basis, what attracts us in coexisting with another living, evolving thing, is that you have a relationship that's different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-think-on-a-day-to-day-basis-what-attracts-us-in-coexisting-with/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I'm interested in the way our world is defined by language, the living word. How restrained we are by the concept of language, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-penkov/i-m-interested-in-the-way-our-world-is-defined-by-language-the-living/) [Miroslav Penkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-penkov/) > [“Language is a living being that grows and dies. It can be healthy, sick, nurtured, or malnourished. It all depends on those using it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/language-is-a-living-being-that-grows-and-dies-it-can-be-healthy-sick/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [He that would speak Divine things in a language which living men of to-day can comprehend, must keep up with the researches and discoveries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-vincent/he-that-would-speak-divine-things-in-a-language-which-living-men-of/) [John H. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-vincent/) > [Language is a living thing. We can feel it changing. Parts of it become old: they drop off and are forgotten. New pieces bud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-highet/language-is-a-living-thing-we-can-feel-it-changing-parts-of-it-become/) [Gilbert Highet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-highet/) > [Language is a living thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-highet/language-is-a-living-thing/) [Gilbert Highet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-highet/) > [The more language is a living operation, the less we are aware of it. Thus it follows from the self-forgetfulness of language that its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-georg-gadamer/the-more-language-is-a-living-operation-the-less-we-are-aware-of-it/) [Hans-Georg Gadamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-georg-gadamer/) > [Language is a living thing. It must survive in men's minds and on their tongues if it survives at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-laird/language-is-a-living-thing-it-must-survive-in-men-s-minds-and-on/) [Charlton Laird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-laird/) > [The traditional statement about language is that it is in itself living, and that writing is the dead part of language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-derrida/the-traditional-statement-about-language-is-that-it-is-in-itself/) [Jacques Derrida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-derrida/) > [“What happens to the world when science stops evolving?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ott/what-happens-to-the-world-when-science-stops-evolving/) [Jennifer Ott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ott/) > [With platforms like Netflix, things are evolving as they are making content-driven films and series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/with-platforms-like-netflix-things-are-evolving-as-they-are-making/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) ## More by Christopher Lehmann-Haupt > [We breathe, we think, we conceive of our lives as narratives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/we-breathe-we-think-we-conceive-of-our-lives-as-narratives/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [In the spirit of Julian Barnes's Flaubert's Parrot and Alain de Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life, Mr. Dyer's Out of Sheer Rage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/in-the-spirit-of-julian-barnes-s-flaubert-s-parrot-and-alain-de/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [The beginning of a plot is the prompting of desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/the-beginning-of-a-plot-is-the-prompting-of-desire/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [The dream is everything in the sport of fishing. You dream with every cast of your fly that the shadowy form will finally rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/the-dream-is-everything-in-the-sport-of-fishing-you-dream-with-every/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [There's an enormous difference between being a critic and a reviewer. The reviewer reacts to the experience of that book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/there-s-an-enormous-difference-between-being-a-critic-and-a-reviewer/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [Rice Krispies happens to be one of my favorite junk foods, just as I regard Michener as superior among junk writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/rice-krispies-happens-to-be-one-of-my-favorite-junk-foods-just-as-i/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [Mr. Frazier makes me laugh out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/mr-frazier-makes-me-laugh-out-loud/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [To be crazy is not necessarily to writhe in snake pits or converse with imaginary gods. It can sometimes be not knowing what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/to-be-crazy-is-not-necessarily-to-writhe-in-snake-pits-or-converse/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [One is happy to report that Israel Shenker is still at the aerosol stage. His energy is still compressed. The result distinguishes him both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/one-is-happy-to-report-that-israel-shenker-is-still-at-the-aerosol/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [A brilliant and challenging discussion presented with extraordinary clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/a-brilliant-and-challenging-discussion-presented-with-extraordinary/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [There is no medical proof that television causes brain damage - at least from over five feet away. In fact, TV is probably the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/there-is-no-medical-proof-that-television-causes-brain-damage-at/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [Even when you disagree with her, she electrifies your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/even-when-you-disagree-with-her-she-electrifies-your-mind/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) [Explore all 13 Christopher Lehmann-Haupt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even if language is a living evolving organism, we don't have to embrace all the changes that occur during our lifetimes. If language is so alive, it can get sick.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Lehmann-Haupt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-organism-we-don-t-have-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-organism-we-don-t-have-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dc/christopher-lehmann-haupt-3581_alive_even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-or_246340.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even if language is a living evolving organism, we don't have to embrace all the changes that occur during…” — Christopher Lehmann-Haupt", "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": "Christopher Lehmann-Haupt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even if language is a living...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-organism-we-don-t-have-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/even-if-language-is-a-living-evolving-organism-we-don-t-have-to/#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 } } ] } ```