Becoming Quote by Stephen Fry
“The worst of this sorry bunch of semi-educated losers are those who seem to glory in being irritated by nouns becoming verbs. How dense and deaf to language development do you have to be? If you don’t like nouns becoming verbs, then for heaven’s sake avoid Shakespeare who made a doing-word out of a thing-word every chance he got. He TABLED the motion and CHAIRED the meeting in which nouns were made verbs”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Language and Its Discontents, Stephen Fry, 2015
Resisting language change is futile; embracing evolution enriches communication.
In simple terms: Language evolves; fight it.
Key Takeaway
Accept and adapt to linguistic shifts.
Themes
language
change
education
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- teaching
- writing
- public speaking
Key Concepts
linguistics
cultural adaptation
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we cling to linguistic purity?
- How can we balance tradition and innovation?
