Books Quote by Sandra Cisneros
“I thought that strange syntax was the language of story books. I didn't realize those were poor translations... English from Edwardian times.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: “The Art of Language” Podcast, 2018
The speaker misinterprets archaic syntax as whimsical, not realizing it’s poor translation, showing how language evolution can confuse readers.
In simple terms: Old English sounds strange because of bad translations.
Check context before judging language.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading classic literature
- studying language history
- translating texts
- teaching grammar
- editing manuscripts
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does translation affect meaning?
- What clues reveal a text’s true age?
Assuming novelty may mask translation flaws.