--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The one thing - apart from assumptions…" description: "\"The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming that lexicographers are fierce protectors ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg" --- # The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that… ![“The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming that lexicographers are fierce protectors of the language when in fact our job is not to put a lid on it.” quote by Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg) > “The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming that lexicographers are fierce protectors of the language when in fact our job is not to put a lid on it.” [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenges the myth that lexicographers are language gatekeepers; they document rather than restrict **In simple terms:** Lexicographers describe language, not control it Key Takeaway Respect language evolution, avoid imposing arbitrary rules Themes language authority myths Mood analytical informative Type academic educational When to use this quote - editing - teaching - policy making Key Concepts descriptive linguistics semantic change Questions to Reflect On - How does describing language differ from controlling it? - When is regulation necessary for clarity? A Different Perspective May underestimate the need for some standardization in communication ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Lexicographers may be nerds who don't like human contact, but we're still people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kory-stamper/lexicographers-may-be-nerds-who-don-t-like-human-contact-but-we-re/) [Kory Stamper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kory-stamper/) > [By the time the traditionally male lexicographers become interested in looking at fashion words, their origins are lost in the mists of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckean/by-the-time-the-traditionally-male-lexicographers-become-interested/) [Erin McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckean/) > [“But the male lexicographers had somehow neglected to coin a word for the dislike of men. They were almost entirely men themselves, she thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/but-the-male-lexicographers-had-somehow-neglected-to-coin-a-word-for/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Most lexicographers had no clue that such a career path existed until they were smack in the middle of it. Neil Serven, an editor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kory-stamper/most-lexicographers-had-no-clue-that-such-a-career-path-existed-until/) [kory stamper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kory-stamper/) > [Lexicographers are language reporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckean/lexicographers-are-language-reporters/) [Erin McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckean/) > [The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-explanation-requiring-the-fewest-assumptions-is-most-likely-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People just assume, over the years, that soccer players are not too intelligent. As with most assumptions, they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/people-just-assume-over-the-years-that-soccer-players-are-not-too/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [“The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are the truth. We could swear they are real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/the-problem-with-making-assumptions-is-that-we-believe-they-are-the/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [For me, filmmaking is not about making statements but about exposing human behavior so people are eager enough to start thinking on their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/for-me-filmmaking-is-not-about-making-statements-but-about-exposing/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [“Civilizaton rests on the assumption that the universe is kindly disposed towards mankind and intended for our benefit. Imagine the upheaval were it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovegrove/civilizaton-rests-on-the-assumption-that-the-universe-is-kindly/) [James Lovegrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovegrove/) > [“While you judge me by my outward appearance I am silently doing the same to you, even though there's a ninety-percent chance that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/while-you-judge-me-by-my-outward-appearance-i-am-silently-doing-the/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I think facts remove assumptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-williams/i-think-facts-remove-assumptions/) [Monty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-williams/) > [“One should not make more assumptions than are absolutely necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kerner/one-should-not-make-more-assumptions-than-are-absolutely-necessary/) Ian Kerner > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [There was a lot of stress and assumptions made without me even saying anything, which was very upsetting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/there-was-a-lot-of-stress-and-assumptions-made-without-me-even-saying/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) ## More by Susie Dent > [According to my parents, I've always liked to tune into the conversations of others. But rather than hope for a snippet of salacious gossip,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/according-to-my-parents-i-ve-always-liked-to-tune-into-the/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [As dialect began to be collected in the late 19th century, such words as Yorkshire's 'gobslotch' emerged, revealing the burgeoning association between gluttony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/as-dialect-began-to-be-collected-in-the-late-19th-century-such-words/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [In the earliest days, make-up and moralising were intertwined. The 'cosmetic slops and washes' of the 17th and 18th centuries aimed to smooth complexions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/in-the-earliest-days-make-up-and-moralising-were-intertwined-the/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [I don't intentionally eavesdrop. I'm not looking for salacious gossip, I'm just looking for vocabulary items.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/i-don-t-intentionally-eavesdrop-i-m-not-looking-for-salacious-gossip/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Above all, Jane Goodall continues to teach us that, as humans, we are no more entitled to our glorious planet than the chimps she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/above-all-jane-goodall-continues-to-teach-us-that-as-humans-we-are-no/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [The notion of 'Queen's English' is usually applied to our pronunciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-notion-of-queen-s-english-is-usually-applied-to-our-pronunciation/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Slang has different functions: many of the words we use are playful and a lot are tribal - we speak the same way as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/slang-has-different-functions-many-of-the-words-we-use-are-playful/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [English has always been a mongrel tongue, snapping up words from every continent its speakers encountered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/english-has-always-been-a-mongrel-tongue-snapping-up-words-from-every/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [As a nation we love our dialects, and there is a lot of regional variance in the names for different foods - barmcake, bap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/as-a-nation-we-love-our-dialects-and-there-is-a-lot-of-regional/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [The character of our language defines us, and dictionaries say as much about us as about the way we speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-character-of-our-language-defines-us-and-dictionaries-say-as-much/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Almost half the adult population finds discussing the subject of money difficult. Slang words help us to navigate these conversations by making us feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/almost-half-the-adult-population-finds-discussing-the-subject-of/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Youthquake' wasn't an entirely predictable choice for Oxford's Word of 2017. It hasn't been on the lips of an entire nation, nor is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/youthquake-wasn-t-an-entirely-predictable-choice-for-oxford-s-word-of/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases that together form an idiosyncratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes-each-speaking-their-own/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Language is essentially tribal, so jargon can actually be a really good thing because it unites people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/language-is-essentially-tribal-so-jargon-can-actually-be-a-really/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [The extraordinary thing about new words is that probably only about one per cent of them are new. Most are old words revived and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-extraordinary-thing-about-new-words-is-that-probably-only-about/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) [Explore all 83 Susie Dent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) ## More Assumptions quotes > [There was a lot of stress and assumptions made without me even saying anything, which was very upsetting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/there-was-a-lot-of-stress-and-assumptions-made-without-me-even-saying/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [When assumptions were made that I was going to bail out there was a little part of my brain that thought 'I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stevens/when-assumptions-were-made-that-i-was-going-to-bail-out-there-was-a/) [Craig Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stevens/) > [“One should not make more assumptions than are absolutely necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kerner/one-should-not-make-more-assumptions-than-are-absolutely-necessary/) Ian Kerner > [I think facts remove assumptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-williams/i-think-facts-remove-assumptions/) [Monty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-williams/) > [“While you judge me by my outward appearance I am silently doing the same to you, even though there's a ninety-percent chance that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/while-you-judge-me-by-my-outward-appearance-i-am-silently-doing-the/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Civilizaton rests on the assumption that the universe is kindly disposed towards mankind and intended for our benefit. Imagine the upheaval were it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovegrove/civilizaton-rests-on-the-assumption-that-the-universe-is-kindly/) [James Lovegrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovegrove/) > [For me, filmmaking is not about making statements but about exposing human behavior so people are eager enough to start thinking on their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/for-me-filmmaking-is-not-about-making-statements-but-about-exposing/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [“The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they are the truth. We could swear they are real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz/the-problem-with-making-assumptions-is-that-we-believe-they-are-the/) [Miguel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz/) > [People just assume, over the years, that soccer players are not too intelligent. As with most assumptions, they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/people-just-assume-over-the-years-that-soccer-players-are-not-too/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-explanation-requiring-the-fewest-assumptions-is-most-likely-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Words in the head are sticky and social creatures – when you finally pull one out, you're liable to get lots of bits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-carlson/words-in-the-head-are-sticky-and-social-creatures-when-you-finally/) [Greg Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-carlson/) > [“The professor argues against measuring effectiveness in the shallow short-term in the "fierce humanities," for teaching that seeks not merely learning, but unlearning, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-nelson/the-professor-argues-against-measuring-effectiveness-in-the-shallow/) Cary Nelson > [I'm like anyone; I make a lot of my assumptions about actors I don't know from what I read about them. And then I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-m-like-anyone-i-make-a-lot-of-my-assumptions-about-actors-i-don-t/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [One thing that irritates me is when people kind of make assumptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/one-thing-that-irritates-me-is-when-people-kind-of-make-assumptions/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [“To assume is to presume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/to-assume-is-to-presume/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) [Browse all 393 Assumptions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming that lexicographers are fierce protectors of the language when in fact our job is not to put a lid on it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susie Dent" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-about-german-that-i-have-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assumptions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-about-german-that-i-have-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91a/susie-dent-8218_assumptions_the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-abo_380345.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming…” — Susie Dent", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Susie Dent", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The one thing - apart from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-about-german-that-i-have-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-about-german-that-i-have-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```