Edward Sapir

“The spirit of logical analysis should in practice blend with the practical pressure for the adoption of some form of international language, but it should not allow itself to be stampeded by it.”

“No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality.”

“A common creation demands a common sacrifice, and perhaps not the least potent argument in favour of a constructed international language is the fact that it is equally foreign, or apparently so, to the traditions of all nationalities.”

“Cultural anthropology is more and more rapidly getting to realize itself as a strictly historical science.”

“Comparison of statements made at different periods frequently enable us to give maximal and minimal dates to the appearance of a cultural element or to assign the time limits to a movement of population.”

“No important national language, at least in the Occidental world, has complete regularity of grammatical structure, nor is there a single logical category which is adequately and consistently handled in terms of linguistic symbolism.”

“As a matter of fact, a national language which spreads beyond its own confines very quickly loses much of its original richness of content and is in no better case than a constructed language.”

“A standard international language should not only be simple, regular, and logical, but also rich and creative.”

“One of the glories of English simplicity is the possibility of using the same word as noun and verb.”

“The psychology of a language which, in one way or another, is imposed upon one because of factors beyond one's control, is very different from the psychology of a language which one accepts of one's free will.”

“It is no secret that the fruits of language study are in no sort of relation to the labour spent on teaching and learning them.”

“It would, of course, be hopeless to attempt to crowd into an international language all those local overtones of meaning which are so dear to the heart of the nationalist.”