--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a college student and I got…" description: "\"When I was a college student and I got interested in linguistics the concern among students was, this is a lot of fun, but after we have done a structu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/noam-chomsky-42_analysis_when-i-was-a-college-student-and-i-got-i_187722.jpg" --- # When I was a college student and I got interested in… ![“When I was a college student and I got interested in linguistics the concern among students was, this is a lot of fun, but after we have done a structural analysis of every language in the world what's left? It was assumed there were basically no puzzles.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/noam-chomsky-42_analysis_when-i-was-a-college-student-and-i-got-i_187722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/noam-chomsky-42_analysis_when-i-was-a-college-student-and-i-got-i_187722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/noam-chomsky-42_analysis_when-i-was-a-college-student-and-i-got-i_187722.jpg) > “When I was a college student and I got interested in linguistics the concern among students was, this is a lot of fun, but after we have done a structural analysis of every language in the world what's left? It was assumed there were basically no puzzles.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even after exhaustive analysis, language still holds mysteries, urging continued inquiry. **In simple terms:** Language remains mysterious despite study. Key Takeaway Keep exploring linguistic puzzles. Themes linguistics knowledge curiosity intellectual humility Mood curious thoughtful Type academic inspirational When to use this quote - academic study - language teaching - cross‑cultural communication Key Concepts structural analysis research methodology Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of language intrigue you most? - How can you contribute to ongoing linguistic research? A Different Perspective Assuming completeness can halt further discovery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-student/) [College students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-students/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Linguistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linguistics/) [Puzzles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzles/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [From now on I will consider a language to be a set (finite or infinite) of sentences, each finite in length and constructed out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/from-now-on-i-will-consider-a-language-to-be-a-set-finite-or-infinite/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Syntax is the study of the principles and processes by which sentences are constructed in particular languages. Syntactic investigation of a given language has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/syntax-is-the-study-of-the-principles-and-processes-by-which/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Dr. Karel Culik is an outstanding applied mathematician, a specialist in algebra, logic, computer sciences and mathematical linguistics. In 1965, he visited the linguistics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dr-karel-culik-is-an-outstanding-applied-mathematician-a-specialist/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [My linguistics is pretty theoretical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/my-linguistics-is-pretty-theoretical/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If we don't believe in free expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-we-don-t-believe-in-free-expression-for-people-we-despise-we-don-t/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In my own professional work I have touched on a variety of different fields. I've done work in mathematical linguistics, for example, without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-my-own-professional-work-i-have-touched-on-a-variety-of-different-2/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It's as if we're higher apes who had a language faculty inserted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-as-if-we-re-higher-apes-who-had-a-language-faculty-inserted/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The police can go to downtown Harlem and pick up a kid with a joint in the streets. But they can't go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-police-can-go-to-downtown-harlem-and-pick-up-a-kid-with-a-joint/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In studying language we can discover many basic properties of this cognitive structure, its organization, and also the genetic predispositions that provide the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-studying-language-we-can-discover-many-basic-properties-of-this/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Every language is a world. Without translation, we would inhabit parishes bordering on silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/every-language-is-a-world-without-translation-we-would-inhabit/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [Speak a new language so that the world will be a new world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/speak-a-new-language-so-that-the-world-will-be-a-new-world/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Up until the rise of electronic music, if you were a musician in Portugal or Germany or Italy or Japan, and you didn't sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/up-until-the-rise-of-electronic-music-if-you-were-a-musician-in/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“Magic is the first language of the world. It was the language before words, before mathematics. Humanity can accept concepts like space travel to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosella-testa/magic-is-the-first-language-of-the-world-it-was-the-language-before/) Rosella Testa > [Only where there is language is there world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/only-where-there-is-language-is-there-world/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Newspeak is the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/newspeak-is-the-only-language-in-the-world-whose-vocabulary-gets/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Analysis quotes > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. 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They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) Edward Greenspon > [As long as the human race is able to concern itself with more than mere survival, soccer will have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/as-long-as-the-human-race-is-able-to-concern-itself-with-more-than/) [Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/) > [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“You will do one of two things as soon as you’ve exhausted what you can determine mathematically in the case: (1) Refine your hypothesis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/you-will-do-one-of-two-things-as-soon-as-you-ve-exhausted-what-you/) [Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/) > [Atheism Explained is a gem. It is clear, informative, well-argued, provocative, often witty, and unfailingly interesting. David Ramsay Steele ranges over so many issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shearmur/atheism-explained-is-a-gem-it-is-clear-informative-well-argued/) Jeremy Shearmur > [Class is entirely intangible, and the way it affects things isn't subject to scientific analysis, and it's not supposed to be real but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/class-is-entirely-intangible-and-the-way-it-affects-things-isn-t/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. And when they meet, that's a go from me. 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