Language Quote by George Eliot
““All choice of words is slang. It marks a class.” “There is correct English: that is not slang.” “I beg your pardon: correct English is the slang of prigs who write history and essays. And the strongest slang of all is the slang of poets.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Language and Class, 1860s
The author argues that what is labeled “correct English” is actually elite slang, and that poets use the most powerful slang.
In simple terms: Standard language is elite slang.
Key Takeaway
Question authority in language.
Themes
language
class
poetry
authority
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- literary criticism
- public speaking
Key Concepts
sociolinguistics
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does labeling language as “correct” affect social groups?
- What role does poetry play in reshaping language?
A Different Perspective
May ignore the fluidity of language evolution.
![“all choice of words is a slang […] correct English is the slang of prigs who write history and essays.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a3d/anonymous-1_history_all-choice-of-words-is-a-slang-correct-e_2469071.jpg)
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
