We cannot stem linguistic change, but we can drag our feet. If each of us were to defy Alexander Pope and be the last to lay the old aside, it might not be a better world, but it would be a lovelier language.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Language changes inevitably but we can slow it down by keeping old forms.
- In plain terms
- We cannot stop language from changing but resisting helps keep it beautiful.
- What can you take from it?
- Preserving old words slows linguistic drift.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Should we preserve old language forms?
- What makes language lovely?
Another view
Resistance can also hinder necessary communication improvements.
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