Etymological Quote by James Barr

[T]here is a methodological bias in favor of taking natural discourse literally, other things being equal. For example, unless there are clear reasons for…

— Tyler Burge

“language is precisely designed to be a self-identifying category of institutional facts. The”

— John Rogers Searle

“And one of my firmest conclusions is that we always think by seeking and drawing parallels to things we know from our past, and…

— Douglas Hofstadter

Let us be cautious in making assertions and critical in examining them, but tolerant in permitting linguistic forms.

— Rudolf Carnap

It is hard to utter common notions in an individual way.

— Horace

“Once the tyranny of literalness is rejected, all relevant considerations for giving a rational content to the words become operative.”

— Justice Frankfurter

Linguists have noticed that across the history of language some words start out as obvious, conscious metaphors and then slowly embed themselves in our…

— Michael Rosen

“Being made up of distinctions, language finds it almost impossible to express undifferentiation.”

— René Girard

The enterprise of describing something in language that has never been described before is a very difficult thing to do. When you decide to…

— Gao Xingjian

The assumption that rigidly rejecting words and phrases that have existed for centuries will have much impact on public attitudes is rather dubious.

— Kay Redfield Jamison

Words must be taken according to the matter whereof they are uttered.

— Richard Hooker

You don't talk to a linguist without having what you say taken down and used in evidence against you at some point in time.

— David Crystal