--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One must not consider a language as a…" description: "\"One must not consider a language as a product dead, and formed but once; it is an animate being, and ever creative. Human thought elaborates itself wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/wilhelm-von-humboldt-7001_creative_one-must-not-consider-a-language-as-a-pr_431078.jpg" --- # One must not consider a language as a product dead, and… ![“One must not consider a language as a product dead, and formed but once; it is an animate being, and ever creative. Human thought elaborates itself with the progress of intelligence; and of this thought language is a manifestation. An idiom cannot therefore remain stationary; it walks, it…” quote by Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/wilhelm-von-humboldt-7001_creative_one-must-not-consider-a-language-as-a-pr_431078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/wilhelm-von-humboldt-7001_creative_one-must-not-consider-a-language-as-a-pr_431078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/wilhelm-von-humboldt-7001_creative_one-must-not-consider-a-language-as-a-pr_431078.jpg) > “One must not consider a language as a product dead, and formed but once; it is an animate being, and ever creative. Human thought elaborates itself with the progress of intelligence; and of this thought language is a manifestation. An idiom cannot therefore remain stationary; it walks, it develops, it grows up, it fortifies itself, it becomes old, and it reaches decrepitude.” [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language is a living, evolving entity shaped by human thought, not a static product. **In simple terms:** Language constantly changes and grows. Key Takeaway Recognize language as dynamic and adaptable. Themes language evolution human thought creativity Mood reflective intellectual Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - translation - writing - communication - cultural preservation Key Concepts linguistics cognitive development Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape thought? - What role does culture play in language evolution? A Different Perspective Language change can be resisted by institutional forces. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Human thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-thought/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Idiom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiom/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Manifestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manifestation/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) ## 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/) > [The communication of ideas requires a similitude of thought and language . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-communication-of-ideas-requires-a-similitude-of-thought-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [People do not think in English or Chinese or Apache; they think in a language of thought. This language of thought probably looks a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/people-do-not-think-in-english-or-chinese-or-apache-they-think-in-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Thought without language, says Lavelle, would not be a purer thought; it would be no more than the intention to think. And his last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/thought-without-language-says-lavelle-would-not-be-a-purer-thought-it/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Language is called the garment of thought: however, it should rather be, language is the flesh-garment, the body, of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/language-is-called-the-garment-of-thought-however-it-should-rather-be/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“If the components of the body were organs and veins and cells, then the components of thought and language were words and grammar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnside/if-the-components-of-the-body-were-organs-and-veins-and-cells-then/) [John Burnside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnside/) > [“There is a reciprocal influence between thought and language. What we think molds the words we use, and the words we use react upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/there-is-a-reciprocal-influence-between-thought-and-language-what-we/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [“Mind thinks in images but, to communicate with another, must transform image into thought and then thought into language. That march, from image to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/mind-thinks-in-images-but-to-communicate-with-another-must-transform/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [You need language for thought, and you need language to anticipate death. There is no abstract thought without language and no anticipation. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/you-need-language-for-thought-and-you-need-language-to-anticipate/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“Language signifies when instead of copying thought it lets itself be taken apart and put together again by thought. Language bears the sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/language-signifies-when-instead-of-copying-thought-it-lets-itself-be/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [“Consciousness is reflected in the word like the sun in a drop of water. Lev Vygotsky--Thought and Language”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vygotsky/consciousness-is-reflected-in-the-word-like-the-sun-in-a-drop-of/) Vygotsky > [Dr. Adler had instructed me to always say whatever I was thinking, but this was difficult for me, for the act of thinking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cameron/dr-adler-had-instructed-me-to-always-say-whatever-i-was-thinking-but/) [Peter Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cameron/) > [“Lurking behind this connecting silence is a brooding suspicion over the extent to which the perceptual user-preferences of the human animal limit and distort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-paterson/lurking-behind-this-connecting-silence-is-a-brooding-suspicion-over/) [Don Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-paterson/) > [The significance of language for the evolution of culture lies in this, that mankind set up in language a separate world beside the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-significance-of-language-for-the-evolution-of-culture-lies-in/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“in language man has placed a world of his own beside the other, a position which he deemed so fixed that he might therefrom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-language-man-has-placed-a-world-of-his-own-beside-the-other-a/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Wilhelm von Humboldt > [The things of the world are ever rising and falling, and in perpetual change; and this change must be according to the will of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/the-things-of-the-world-are-ever-rising-and-falling-and-in-perpetual/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [Whatever does not spring from a man's free choice, or is only the result of instruction and guidance, does not enter into his very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/whatever-does-not-spring-from-a-man-s-free-choice-or-is-only-the/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/however-great-an-evil-immorality-may-be-we-must-not-forget-that-it-is/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [To behold, is not necessary to observe, and the power of comparing and combining is only to be obtained by education. It is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/to-behold-is-not-necessary-to-observe-and-the-power-of-comparing-and/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [The mere reality of life would be inconceivably poor without the charm of fancy, which brings in its bosom, no doubt, as many vain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/the-mere-reality-of-life-would-be-inconceivably-poor-without-the/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [We cannot assume the injustice of any actions which only create offense, and especially as regards religion and morals. He who utters or does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/we-cannot-assume-the-injustice-of-any-actions-which-only-create/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [If it were not somewhat fanciful to suppose that every human excellence is presented, as it were, in one kind of being, we might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/if-it-were-not-somewhat-fanciful-to-suppose-that-every-human/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [If we reason that we want happiness for others, not for ourselves, then we ought justly to be suspected of failing to recognize human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/if-we-reason-that-we-want-happiness-for-others-not-for-ourselves-then/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [Besides the pleasure derived from acquired knowledge, there lurks in the mind of man, and tinged with a shade of sadness, an unsatisfactory longing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/besides-the-pleasure-derived-from-acquired-knowledge-there-lurks-in/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [Even sleep is characteristic. How beautiful are children in their lovely innocence! how angel-like their blooming features! and how painful and anxious is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/even-sleep-is-characteristic-how-beautiful-are-children-in-their/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [To inquire and to create; these are the grand centres around which all human pursuits revolve, or at least to these objects do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/to-inquire-and-to-create-these-are-the-grand-centres-around-which-all/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [Women are in this respect more fortunate than men, that most of their employments are of such a nature that they can at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/women-are-in-this-respect-more-fortunate-than-men-that-most-of-their/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [In every remodelling of the present, the existing condition of things must be supplanted by a new one. Now every variety of circumstances in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/in-every-remodelling-of-the-present-the-existing-condition-of-things/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [“For even if we know very little that is certain about spirit or soul, the true nature of the body, of materiality, is totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/for-even-if-we-know-very-little-that-is-certain-about-spirit-or-soul/) [Wilhelm Von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [Prayer is intended to increase the devotion of the individual, but if the individual himself prays he requires no formula; he pours himself forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/prayer-is-intended-to-increase-the-devotion-of-the-individual-but-if/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) [Explore all 94 Wilhelm von Humboldt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One must not consider a language as a product dead, and formed but once; it is an animate being, and ever creative. Human thought elaborates itself with the progress of intelligence; and of this thought language is a manifestation. 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