Language is the most massive and inclusive art we know, a mountainous and anonymous work of unconscious generations.

We see and hear and otherwise experience very largely as we do because the language habits of our community predispose certain choices of interpretation.

The fact of the matter is that the 'real world' is to a large extent unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group.

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

Were a language ever completely "grammatical" it would be a perfect engine of conceptual expression. Unfortunately, or luckily, no language is tyrannically consistent. All grammars leak.

A firm, for instance, that does business in many countries of the world is driven to spend an enormous amount of time, labour, and money in providing for translation services.

Cultural anthropology is not valuable because it uncovers the archaic in the psychological sense. It is valuable because it is constantly rediscovering the normal.