The 'sayings' of a community, its proverbs, are its characteristic comment upon life; they imply its history, suggest its attitude toward the world and its way of accepting life. Such an idiom makes the finest language any writer can have; and he can never get it with a notebook. He himself must be able to think and feel in that speech - it is a gift from heart to heart.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- True community language comes from internalizing shared idioms, not collecting them in a notebook.
- In plain terms
- Real language comes from living in a culture, not copying phrases.
- What can you take from it?
- Internalize speech; don't just collect it.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you learn to speak like locals?
- What phrases belong to your community?
Another view
Collecting language can be useful when internalization is impossible.
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