--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's language as a kind of structural…" description: "\"It's language as a kind of structural system. A diagram of a sentence, now that seems like a kind of architectural model. I don't know how to explain i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/642/vito-acconci-13895_being-nice_it-s-language-as-a-kind-of-structural-sy_2635704.jpg" --- # It's language as a kind of structural system. A diagram of… ![“It's language as a kind of structural system. A diagram of a sentence, now that seems like a kind of architectural model. I don't know how to explain it, but it would be nice to try. Why, why this fascination?” quote by Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/642/vito-acconci-13895_being-nice_it-s-language-as-a-kind-of-structural-sy_2635704.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/642/vito-acconci-13895_being-nice_it-s-language-as-a-kind-of-structural-sy_2635704.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/642/vito-acconci-13895_being-nice_it-s-language-as-a-kind-of-structural-sy_2635704.jpg) > “It's language as a kind of structural system. A diagram of a sentence, now that seems like a kind of architectural model. I don't know how to explain it, but it would be nice to try. Why, why this fascination?” [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language can be viewed as a structural system, similar to architectural design. **In simple terms:** Language is like building. Key Takeaway Explore language’s structural aspects. Themes linguistics architecture metaphor Mood introspective analytical Type theoretical philosophical When to use this quote - education - writing - design - AI language models Key Concepts systems theory cognitive models Questions to Reflect On - How does this view aid communication? - What limits does it impose? A Different Perspective Metaphors may oversimplify linguistic complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) [Diagram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagram/) [Fascination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascination/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [It's like a Venn diagram of tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/it-s-like-a-venn-diagram-of-tragedy/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Still, this whole grim reaper thing should have come with a manual. Or a diagram of some kind. A flowchart would have been nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/still-this-whole-grim-reaper-thing-should-have-come-with-a-manual-or/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [A noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burnham/a-noble-logical-diagram-once-recorded-will-never-die/) [Daniel Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-burnham/) > [A metaphor for good information design is a map. Hold any diagram against a map and see how it compares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/a-metaphor-for-good-information-design-is-a-map-hold-any-diagram/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [Remember that a noble logical diagram, once recorded, will never die; long after we are gone, it will be a living thing, asserting itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-polk/remember-that-a-noble-logical-diagram-once-recorded-will-never-die/) [Willis Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-polk/) > [The venn diagram of boys who don’t like smart girls and boys you don’t wanna date is a circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-venn-diagram-of-boys-who-don-t-like-smart-girls-and-boys-you-don/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The life of the spirit may be fairly represented in diagram as a large acute-angled triangle divided horizontally into unequal parts with the narrowest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wassily-kandinsky/the-life-of-the-spirit-may-be-fairly-represented-in-diagram-as-a/) [Wassily Kandinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wassily-kandinsky/) > [Create instructions or a visual diagram for something that normally wouldn't need them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-scalin/create-instructions-or-a-visual-diagram-for-something-that-normally/) Noah Scalin > [The power of language, it seems to me, is the only kind of power a writer is entitled to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/the-power-of-language-it-seems-to-me-is-the-only-kind-of-power-a/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [Maybe language is kind, giving us these double meanings. Maybe it's trying to teach us a lesson, that we can always be two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-language-is-kind-giving-us-these-double-meanings-maybe-it-s/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [In China, because Chinese is a tonal language, it can be kind of hard to follow people's emotional tracks. There was one moment where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailey-gates/in-china-because-chinese-is-a-tonal-language-it-can-be-kind-of-hard/) [Hailey Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailey-gates/) > [“The first diagram that you need on any project is a context diagram.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jesse-chonoles/the-first-diagram-that-you-need-on-any-project-is-a-context-diagram/) [Michael Jesse Chonoles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jesse-chonoles/) > [“…our aim has been to provide anyone who is seriously interested with an introduction to the world of the archetypes, and to make this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-neumann/our-aim-has-been-to-provide-anyone-who-is-seriously-interested-with/) [Erich Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-neumann/) > [“The diagram in the ashes had two epicenters; one he called “reason,” the other, “will.” “Reason” was interconnected directly with a point he called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-diagram-in-the-ashes-had-two-epicenters-one-he-called-reason-the/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die, but long after we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burnham/make-big-plans-aim-high-in-hope-and-work-remembering-that-a-noble/) [Daniel Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-burnham/) ## More by Vito Acconci > [I like Richard Serra sculptures too but I wish they had a goddamn hot dog stand inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/i-like-richard-serra-sculptures-too-but-i-wish-they-had-a-goddamn-hot/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [It was an incredible way to grow up, because words that you're taught - these definite things - you realize they sort of beautifully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/it-was-an-incredible-way-to-grow-up-because-words-that-you-re-taught/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [Architecture is inherently a totalitarian activity. One thing we hate about it is that when you design a space, you're probably designing people's behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/architecture-is-inherently-a-totalitarian-activity-one-thing-we-hate/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [ \[Photography was necessary to\] make my place in the art-world: in order to do this, I had to make a picture, since a picture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/photography-was-necessary-to-make-my-place-in-the-art-world-in-order/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [Especially once those poetry events began, because, yeah, the stuff was still on the page, but the page was starting to spill into real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/especially-once-those-poetry-events-began-because-yeah-the-stuff-was/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [I became much more interested in plot when I really didn't consider myself a writer anymore. When I was in an art context and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/i-became-much-more-interested-in-plot-when-i-really-didn-t-consider/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [The kind of influence you want is a much deeper influence. It's like empowerment. Things are like this, but what if they were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/the-kind-of-influence-you-want-is-a-much-deeper-influence-it-s-like/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [If something's public then it seems like the important thing is the person in that public. And the notion of rhetoric. I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/if-something-s-public-then-it-seems-like-the-important-thing-is-the/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [Everybody uses labels: they give you a handle on things - an over-simplified handle, sure, but without labels, without ads, without words, the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/everybody-uses-labels-they-give-you-a-handle-on-things-an-over/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [My first pieces, in an art context, were ways to get myself off the page and into real space. These photographic pieces were ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/my-first-pieces-in-an-art-context-were-ways-to-get-myself-off-the/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [I came from the time of so-called New Criticism - the poem in itself, the writing in itself - but around that time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/i-came-from-the-time-of-so-called-new-criticism-the-poem-in-itself/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [There's a legal term for a problem in public space: something that might draw people to an area-say, across train tracks-where they might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/there-s-a-legal-term-for-a-problem-in-public-space-something-that/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [Public space can be a lot better with some private space to contradict it and vice versa. It keeps the system alive. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/public-space-can-be-a-lot-better-with-some-private-space-to/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [As a kid I learned notions of art and notions of not having any money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/as-a-kid-i-learned-notions-of-art-and-notions-of-not-having-any-money/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) > [Maybe I had to stop photographing so that I could learn to touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/maybe-i-had-to-stop-photographing-so-that-i-could-learn-to-touch/) [Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) [Explore all 48 Vito Acconci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/) ## More Being nice quotes > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [I think there's a lot of scope in broadening the way videogames approach depictions of masculinity, which is still extremely narrow in scope. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-druckmann/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-scope-in-broadening-the-way-videogames/) Neil Druckmann > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When we are nice to others, we generally lose all claim to their respect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/when-we-are-nice-to-others-we-generally-lose-all-claim-to-their/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Being nice from now on, leaving the old BS where it's at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-from-now-on-leaving-the-old-bs-where-it-s-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can see that I imagine all kinds of rejection that never happens. I can see that I beg and plead for love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/i-can-see-that-i-imagine-all-kinds-of-rejection-that-never-happens-i/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [I think music is better listened to with other people. Music is better shared. It depends what situation you're in - if it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-think-music-is-better-listened-to-with-other-people-music-is-better/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great. To many people, being nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the-2/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [What inspired me as a child is the same thing that inspires me now: being nice. I always try to one up everybody with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joell-ortiz/what-inspired-me-as-a-child-is-the-same-thing-that-inspires-me-now/) [Joell Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joell-ortiz/) > [My ex-wife was trying to be nice once, so she took me to a concert in Los Angeles. I went with her to Symphony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/my-ex-wife-was-trying-to-be-nice-once-so-she-took-me-to-a-concert-in/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) [Browse all 659 Being nice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's language as a kind of structural system. A diagram of a sentence, now that seems like a kind of architectural model. I don't know how to explain it, but it would be nice to try. 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